President Barzani, UNAMI chief discuss elections, Erbil-Baghdad issues

Erbil, Kurdistan Region – Kurdistan Region President Nechirvan Barzani on Monday received Mohamed al-Hassan, head of the UN Assistance Mission for Iraq (UNAMI), discussing the upcoming parliamentary elections in Iraq, Erbil-Baghdad relations and the latest political developments.

“Both sides emphasized the significance of the elections and the necessity of a fair voting process in the Kurdistan Region and throughout Iraq,” read a statement from the Kurdistan Region Presidency.

Iraq will hold its parliamentary election on Tuesday, marking its sixth legislative polls since the 2003 fall of the Baath regime. Security forces and displaced persons across Iraq cast their ballots on Sunday in an early voting.

President Barzani and Hassan also “expressed hope that the elections and their results would benefit both Iraq and the Kurdistan Region, ushering in a new and more promising phase in every area,” added the statement.

While UNAMI does not directly implement developmental and humanitarian programs, it plays an advisory role in facilitating partnership and technical cooperation between the Iraqi government and the 20 UN agencies, funds, and programs operating in the country.
 
Their mission for Iraq is set to conclude on December 31, 2025. 

Addressing issues between Erbil and Baghdad through dialogue and mutual understanding was a key topic of their discussion, with both sides stressing the need for “a shared commitment to upholding peace and stability in Iraq.”

Although oil exports have resumed under a new agreement between Erbil and Baghdad, key disputes over financial entitlements and the payment of the Kurdistan Region’s civil servants remain unresolved. Employees in the Region have yet to receive their September and October salaries, even as their counterparts in other Iraqi provinces have been paid on time.

Rebaz Hamlan, an assistant to Kurdistan Region Prime Minister Masrour Barzani, told Rudaw on Saturday that a delegation from Erbil will visit Baghdad after the election to discuss unpaid civil servant salaries.

Iraqi authorities claim the Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG) has failed to meet its financial obligations, but Hamlan put the blame firmly on Baghdad.
 
“There are no technical issues remaining between the Kurdistan Region and Baghdad,” he said, adding that they have consistently handed over 120 billion dinars (about $91.5 million) from internal revenues to Baghdad as part of the KRG’s obligations to secure the monthly salaries of its civil servants.