Baghdad and Erbil Agree on Mechanisms to Resolve Disputes as Al-Zaidi Announces Oil Production Targets

Prime Minister Ali Faleh Al-Zaidi held talks on Monday with Kurdistan Region Prime Minister Masrour Barzani on resolving outstanding disputes between the federal government and the regional administration, stressing the importance of upholding constitutional provisions and safeguarding citizens' rights.

In a statement, the Prime Minister's Media Office said Al-Zaidi received Barzani and his accompanying delegation, with discussions focusing on key areas of mutual concern and ways to strengthen cooperation between Baghdad and Erbil.

Al-Zaidi reiterated the federal government's commitment to ensuring fairness and protecting the constitutional rights of the Kurdistan Region's citizens and institutions, emphasizing the need to address pending issues in a manner that serves Iraq's national interests.

He also outlined the government's plans to increase Iraq's oil production capacity to 7 million barrels per day by 2030 and 10 million barrels per day by 2032. The targets include approximately one million barrels per day from oil fields in the Kurdistan Region, with the expansion expected to support economic growth and development nationwide.

Following their talks, the two sides held an expanded meeting and agreed to establish joint mechanisms to address outstanding disputes in accordance with the Constitution and applicable legislation.

Regarding the energy sector, both parties condemned the attack on the Khor Mor field and stressed the importance of securing oil facilities and critical infrastructure, while adopting measures to prevent further attacks.

The discussions also covered the management of oil fields, coordination between the federal and regional finance ministries over oil and non-oil revenues, and ensuring regular salary payments to Kurdistan Region employees on an equal footing with other Iraqi public-sector workers.

The meeting further addressed the Region's share of the 2027 federal budget and the procedures for determining its allocation in line with constitutional requirements. Both sides also highlighted the need to accelerate the passage of the federal Oil and Gas Law to establish a legal framework for oil production, exports and resource management.

The two parties concluded by emphasizing the importance of continued coordination and cooperation, with dialogue and mutual understanding serving as the basis for resolving outstanding disputes, strengthening national unity and protecting the interests of all Iraqis.