The Governor of Erbil: Allocating the budget for regional and governorate development is a rightful prerogative for all governorates, unrelated to any other issues

On March 5, 2024, Governor Omed Khoshnaw received Khaled Hassan Saleh, the Chairman of the Regional and Governorate Development Committee in the Iraqi Parliament, along with other committee members and the accompanying technical delegation, at the governorate office.
 

In the meeting, following discussions about the Kurdistan Region's allocation in the overall development budget for Iraqi governorates, Governor Omed Khoshnaw emphasized the unfair treatment towards the Kurdistan Region. He pointed out that from 2012 to 2024, the Kurdistan Regional Government had not received its rightful share of the development project budget.
 

He further stated, "Utilizing the regional development budget is a lawful entitlement for citizens to facilitate service projects, unrelated to any other issues. We trust that this matter won't be entangled with broader problems between the Kurdistan Region and Baghdad." He urged the committee to monitor the allocation of the governorate development budget for 2024 and prevent a recurrence of non-disbursement as seen in previous years.

The Erbil Governor highlighted that the city's population has reached approximately two million, including over 300,000 refugees and displaced individuals in camps. Additionally, with the presence of United Nations representations, consulates, and foreign missions, he emphasized the unique service and project requirements of Erbil Governorate. The Governor urged the committee to recognize the distinct needs of Erbil, which differ significantly from those of the central and southern regions of Iraq.
 

In another topic of the meeting, The governor discussed recent projects and the governorate's requests to address issues such as drought, climate change, and water shortages in Erbil. He directed these concerns to the Iraqi Prime Minister and pertinent federal ministries. The Governor urged the committee's chairman and members to actively pursue these demands with the relevant authorities in Baghdad.
 

The Regional and Governorate Development Committee in the Iraqi Parliament explicitly outlined the purpose of their visit to the Kurdistan Region's governorates, including the capital, Erbil. They emphasized their responsibility to communicate the messages and demands of the region's governorates, asserting that the development budget is a rightful entitlement for Kurdistan Region's governorates, akin to those in central and southern Iraq.

During a joint press conference with the Chairman of the Regional and Governorate Development Committee in the Iraqi Parliament, the governor expressed that showcasing provincial projects could yield positive outcomes in promoting fairness and justice.
 

Despite the persisting issues between the Federal Court, Baghdad, and the Kurdistan Regional Government, the governor emphasized that the Kurdistan Region has been denied its rights and financial allocations in recent years. He highlighted the deprivation of the regional development budget for the region's governorates, noting that if these dues had been received, it could have potentially addressed some of the current challenges.