
Al-Awadi: The level of representation at the Arab Summit will be honorable and befitting Iraq
Baghdad – INA
Iraqi government spokesman Bassem Al-Awadi confirmed on Wednesday that the level of representation at the Arab Summit will be honorable and befitting Iraq, and that there will be pleasant surprises.
Al-Awadi told the Iraqi News Agency (INA): "Registration on the summit's dedicated platform for the delegations is very honorable and befitting Iraq, and there will be pleasant surprises regarding the level and weight of representation."
He added, "What is being reported about heads of state abstaining from attending is inaccurate, and we confirm that representation will be honorable."
Baghdad will host the Arab Foreign Ministry's preparatory meeting for the Arab Summit on Thursday, while next Saturday, the Arab League Council will hold a summit-level meeting (the Arab Summit) as well as the Arab Development, Economic, and Social Summit.
Hashtags

Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles


Shafaq News
an hour ago
- Shafaq News
Oil vs. Salaries: KRG-Baghdad feud pushes Iraq to the brink
Shafaq News/ As the Kurdistan Region's salary crisis resurfaces, alarms grow louder over the broader ramifications. The economic tension carries a potent political undertone that, if left unresolved, could destabilize Iraq's political framework. The dispute between Erbil and Baghdad reignited after the Kurdistan Region accused the federal government of "discrimination" in salary disbursement. The Region pointed to repeated delays in receiving dues despite earlier agreements. Baghdad countered by citing the Kurdistan Regional Government's failure to deliver oil and non-oil revenues as stipulated in the federal budget law. To contain the escalating crisis, the federal government is expected to dispatch a financial advance to the Kurdistan Region within two days to ensure employees receive their salaries before Eid al-Adha (June 6-9). However, nothing has changed so far. Economic War Kurdish political analyst Mohammed Zangana describes the allocation of funds as 'not charity toward the people of Kurdistan, but a constitutional and legal right.' He references the tripartite budget law (2023–2025) and a 2024 Federal Court ruling mandating salary payments from the federal treasury to the Kurdistan Region. Zangana characterizes the ongoing situation as an 'economic war waged by Baghdad against the region since 2014,' urging for a simple resolution: 'separate the salaries of Kurdistan's employees from political bickering and disputes.' The agreement stipulates that the Kurdistan Region must send 400,000 barrels of oil daily to federal depots in exchange for employee salaries. However, those depots can handle no more than 80,000 barrels per day. 'Even the amount sent hasn't yielded a single cent,' Zangana notes, adding, 'no agreement has been reached on the price per barrel.' On the Kurdistan Democratic Party's threat to withdraw from the political process, Zangana believes the Coordination Framework (CF), a predominantly Shiite group that controls the Iraqi government, fully grasps the danger posed by such a move. 'This is a warning to the Framework,' he asserts. Zangana also highlights a 'lack of will' from Baghdad to pass an oil and gas law, explaining that such legislation would grant provinces and regions constitutional autonomy under Articles 112 and 121 of the Iraqi Constitution. He foresees only temporary solutions ahead: 'There won't be any radical remedies—just patchwork until the elections.' Financial Strain Parliamentarian Mukhtar al-Mousawi, a senior figure in the Badr Organization, a movement within the Framework, expects the two sides to reach a 'mutual understanding.' 'The Region's recurring threats to withdraw from the political process whenever it faces liquidity issues and pressures the federal government—that's not a sound approach,' he states in remarks to Shafaq News, urging the Region to 'reorganize its affairs according to its own budget.' Al-Mousawi explains that Iraq is currently navigating a financial crunch, and the 2025 budget has yet to reach Parliament. 'Meanwhile, the Region resists accountability on how it manages oil and gas export revenues.' Constitution and Oil & Gas Law Ibrahim al-Sikani, a member of the State of Law Coalition led by Nouri al-Maliki, another CF group, strikes a balancing tone. 'The Constitution governs all national matters from north to south, especially Kurdistan Region salaries and the ongoing oil and gas issues,' he tells Shafaq News. He places the responsibility for salary payments squarely on Prime Minister Mohammed Shia al-Sudani. 'The Coordination Framework is blamed because the shortfall comes from its nominee, Al-Sudani, but the Framework won't tolerate any failure from the government toward the Iraqi people—north or south.' Al-Sikani also discloses that the Framework has resolved to form a delegation to visit the Kurdistan Region and negotiate solutions, emphasizing that passing the O il and Gas Law would eliminate recurring disputes. He calls on Parliament to act, urging sessions to approve the law and the budget—still stalled in the Prime Minister's office— 'despite its direct impact on the lives of the Iraqi people.' 'I urge al-Sudani to hold a parliamentary session to lay all the facts bare before the public.' In this context, political analyst Aed al-Hilali appeals to all political blocs to engage in frank and direct dialogue with Kurdish representatives. 'The salary issue is no longer bearable, especially with the Kurdistan Democratic Party threatening to boycott the political process, which could lead to the collapse of Iraq's political system,' he cautions. Still, al-Hilali voices cautious optimism, 'The salary crisis may soon be resolved, but fundamental solutions remain necessary,' He outlines key steps forward—revisiting the Constitution and amending certain articles that 'may help achieve lasting resolutions.'


Shafaq News
2 hours ago
- Shafaq News
+21M Iraqis update voter data ahead of elections
Shafaq News/ Over 21 million Iraqi citizens have updated their voter information ahead of the upcoming parliamentary elections, Iraq's Independent High Electoral Commission (IHEC) announced on Thursday. According to a document released by the Commission, 21,147,292 Iraqis had updated their biometric data between March 25 and June 4. Baghdad topped the list with nearly 3.5 million updates across its al-Karkh and al-Rusafa districts, followed by Nineveh with more than 2 million. Voter registration and biometric data updates will continue until June 15 in preparation for the November 11 parliamentary elections, with over 29 million Iraqis eligible to vote.


Shafaq News
2 hours ago
- Shafaq News
Erbil appeals to UN over Baghdad salary freeze
Shafaq News/ Civil society representatives in Erbil submitted a formal letter to the United Nations on Thursday, urging international intervention over Baghdad's suspension of public sector salaries in the Kurdistan Region. The move follows the Iraqi Ministry of Finance's recent decision to withhold the Region's May 2025 salary allocations, citing the Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG)'s alleged failure to remit oil and non-oil revenues as required under the Federal Budget Law and a Federal Supreme Court ruling. The KRG has condemned the action as 'unconstitutional, unlawful, and a form of collective punishment.' Speaking with Shafaq News, Mahdi Faydhullah, representing the group of civil organizations, described Baghdad's policy as 'inhumane and unconstitutional,' emphasizing that salaries are a legal right. 'We delivered this humanitarian appeal to the UN Mission in Erbil, and next we will submit it to European, American, and British diplomatic missions,' he said. The letter reportedly calls for a clear separation between political disputes and administrative or financial issues, especially as the Eid al-Adha holiday approaches (June 6-9) and many families remain unpaid. In a separate statement, the Erbil Chamber of Commerce and Industry likened the situation to 'a blockade on the Kurdish people,' warning of the deepening economic toll as many citizens in Kurdistan rely on government salaries. The resulting downturn, it added, has alarmed business owners and hindered trade flows from Kurdistan to other Iraqi provinces. 'The federal government's actions not only harm citizens and traders but also obstruct reconstruction efforts led by the KRG's ninth cabinet.'