Latest news with #QubadTalabani
Shafaq News
3 days ago
- Business
- Shafaq News
Kurdistan's transparency drive yields 16B Dinars in weekly non-oil income
Shafaq News/ Non-oil revenues in the provinces of Al-Sulaymaniyah, Halabja, and the administrations of Garmyan and Raparin exceeded 16 billion dinars last week. According to a public platform launched under the supervision of Kurdish Deputy Prime Minister Qubad Talabani, the four areas collectively generated 16,020,668,471 dinars (about $11.3M) in non-oil income between May 24 and May 30, 2025. The figures show that 94% of the revenues were collected in cash, while 6% were processed through checks. Al-Sulaymaniyah, a major commercial hub in the Kurdistan Region, continues to attract traders from across the region. The bulk of non-oil imports into the area include food products, clothing, electronics, building materials, machinery, and vehicles. These goods primarily originate from neighboring countries such as Iran, Turkiye, Syria, and Jordan, with additional imports from China, India, and various European nations.
Shafaq News
7 days ago
- Politics
- Shafaq News
PUK hints at new demands in KRG talks
Shafaq News/ Deputy Prime Minister Qubad and PUK leader Qubad Talabani said on Monday that the Patriotic Union of Kurdistan (PUK) may introduce new demands in its ongoing negotiations with the Kurdistan Democratic Party (KDP) to form the next Kurdistan Regional Government. 'In previous meetings, we had a set of demands. In the next ones, there may be new ones,' Talabani told reporters in al-Sulaymaniyah. 'Everything is subject to change, so don't be surprised if the PUK puts forward new demands,' he added. The talks follow five high-level meetings between the two dominant Kurdish parties since the October 2024 Kurdish elections. While both sides have expressed willingness to cooperate, key disagreements over power-sharing remain unresolved. Senior PUK official Darbaz Kosrat Rasul recently dismissed the idea of a '50-50' split as no longer practical, urging a shift away from rigid formulas. On May, KDP leader Masoud Barzani warned against forming a government based on parity alone, stressing the need for a unified cabinet, a single parliament, and an integrated Peshmerga force.
Shafaq News
15-05-2025
- Business
- Shafaq News
Al-Sulaymaniyah to host international Delphi Forum Slemani on May 18
Shafaq News/ Al-Sulaymaniyah will host the Delphi Forum Slemani next week, a high-profile international gathering, the Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG) announced on Thursday. Scheduled for May 18–19, the forum will convene under the supervision of KRG Deputy Prime Minister Qubad Talabani and is co-organized in collaboration with the Greek Ministry of Foreign Affairs. According to a statement from Talabani's office, the forum will draw senior officials, business leaders, and representatives from international institutions across Iraq, Greece, and other countries. Participants will engage in strategic discussions covering regional security, sustainable growth, cross-border investment, and economic cooperation amid the shifting geopolitical landscape of the Middle East. The statement also highlighted the forum's role in strengthening al-Sulaymaniyah's position as 'a gateway between East and West, offering a space for economic diplomacy and collaborative solutions in an increasingly interconnected world.'
Rudaw Net
06-05-2025
- Business
- Rudaw Net
KDP, PUK yet to reach agreement on government positions: Sources
Also in Kurdistan Erbil to face more frequent dust storms: Researcher Fastlink, FIB launch partnership Rojava initiative aims to create a 'unique' generation Kurdish Islamic party politician sues Erbil parliament for not convening sessions A+ A- ERBIL, Kurdistan Region - The Kurdistan Democratic Party (KDP) and Patriotic Union of Kurdistan (PUK) met on Monday in the Dukan district of Sulaimani province to discuss the formation of the new Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG) cabinet. However, no final agreement was reached on the allocation of key government posts, sources told Rudaw. The KDP delegation was led by Kurdistan Region Prime Minister Masrour Barzani, who also serves as the party's deputy head. The PUK delegation was headed by party leader Bafel Talabani and included Deputy Prime Minister Qubad Talabani, a senior PUK figure. A PUK delegation member, speaking to Rudaw on condition of anonymity, said the meeting "proceeded in a positive and good atmosphere," but noted that no final decisions were made regarding cabinet positions. For his part, a member of the KDP's central committee also told Rudaw that the meeting between the two ruling parties was 'good.' Speaking on condition that his name be withheld, the KDP figure noted that the PUK had requested several sovereign ministerial portfolios. Sovereign portfolios traditionally refers to the topmost important ministries in a cabinet, including the defense, interior, foreign, finance and justice ministerial portfolios. In the Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG), the Peshmerga ministry functions as the equivalent of a defense ministry. The same KDP source added to Rudaw that his party only 'offered one sovereign ministry' to the PUK: the Peshmerga ministry. Rudaw's correspondent in Dukan, Peshawa Bakhtyar, confirmed that the KDP additionally agreed to hand over the finance ministry. However, according to Bakhtyar, the PUK additionally demanded the positions of interior and natural resources ministers, as well as the post of chancellor of the Kurdistan Region Security Council (KRSC). The PUK also requested that the authorities and duties of the Kurdistan Region's Deputy PM Qubad Talabani be defined in writing. The KDP reportedly rejected the aforementioned demands. Accordingly, further talks will be held. Of note, a former Kurdistan parliament lawmaker representing the KDP, Fadhil Basharati, told Rudaw on Tuesday that the PUK is seeking certain government positions that, based on "the election results,' should be allocated to the winning party - the KDP. The Kurdistan Region held delayed parliamentary elections in October. The KDP emerged as the leading party with 39 seats in the 100-member legislature, followed by the PUK with 23 seats. As no single party won a majority, a governing coalition will need to be formed, as has traditionally been the case. Since then, talks between the KDP and PUK on the shape of the KRG's tenth cabinet have been ongoing. Notably, the ongoing deadlock has significantly impacted the region's legislative process. Since the October elections, the Kurdistan Parliament has convened only once, in early December. No speaker, deputy speaker, or secretary were elected during that session, and no further meetings have been scheduled, as lawmakers await the outcome of the coalition talks.
Iraq Business
29-04-2025
- Business
- Iraq Business
GE Vernova to Upgrade Bazyan Power Plant
By John Lee. GE Vernova has announced plans to install its new AGP XPAND upgrade at the 1,250 MW Bazyan [Bazian] Power Plant in Iraqi Kurdistan, operated by Taurus Energy [Taurus Arm], part of the Onex Group. The announcement was made at a ceremony in Sulaymaniyah, attended by H.E. Qubad Talabani, Deputy Prime Minister of the Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG), and H.E. Kamal Mohammad Salih Khalil, Minister of Electricity. The AGP XPAND upgrade, building on GE Vernova's Advanced Gas Path (AGP) technology, is designed to boost the output of 9E.03 gas turbines by up to 7 percent, improve efficiency by approximately 1 percent, and increase exhaust energy by up to 2.6 percent-enhancing both steam and power production capabilities for combined heat and power plants. Bazyan Power Plant, powered by four 9E.03 and two 9F.04 turbines, will be the first site globally to deploy this technology. The upgrade is expected to enhance capacity and supply additional electricity to the Kurdistan Region, Mosul, and Salahaldin, according to a statement from GE Vernova. Additionally, Taurus Energy signed a 17-year long-term service agreement with GE Vernova, including Iraq's first 9E Rotor Life Extension package, strengthening their strategic collaboration. (Sources: GE Vernova; Qubad Talabani)
