Session (4) - First Term / First Year

The Council of Representatives held its fourth session of the first legislative term, within the first legislative year of the sixth electoral cycle, on January 11, 2026. The session was presided over by Speaker Haibat al-Halbousi, with 222 deputies in attendance. The session included the following:

Ministerial Hostings: Speaker Haibat al-Halbousi announced that the Ministers of Foreign Affairs and Water Resources will be hosted during next Monday's session to discuss the water agreement with Turkey, following a request submitted by the Members of Parliament.

Constitutional Oath: MPs Jihad al-Abadi and Ashwaq al-Jaf took the constitutional oath to assume their membership in the Council, after the inclusion of this item on the agenda was approved.

Non-Oil Revenues: The Council continued discussing non-oil revenues in the presence of the Head of the Border Ports Authority, and the Directors General of the General Tax Authority and the General Customs Authority.

Parliamentary Interventions: MPs emphasized the importance of implementing and enhancing the electronic automation project for tax and customs collection, setting a clear timeline for completion to safeguard revenues. Discussions also covered:

The rotation of personnel within collection-related authorities.

Addressing the manipulation of goods' weights, descriptions, and quality at border crossings.

The necessity of involving Ministry of Electricity representatives in discussions regarding revenue maximization, amid indicators of significant revenue loss within the ministry's collection system.

Revealing the number of unofficial border crossings outside federal authority.

The demand for binding parliamentary decisions regarding the executive branch's authority to raise taxes only through existing laws.

Government Program and Investment: The Speaker stressed that the next government candidate must present a program that aligns with strategic financial reforms for study before a parliamentary vote. He also noted the importance of amending the Investment Law to enhance state revenues.

Economic Diversification: (Part of the session chaired by First Deputy Speaker Adnan Faihan): Interventions called for diversifying income sources and increasing non-oil revenues to ensure a secure future for all generations. This includes administrative reforms, empowering the agricultural and industrial sectors, and revitalizing tourism.

Border Ports Statement: The Head of the Border Ports Authority confirmed that e-governance has significantly reduced corruption. He noted that federal ports operate 24/7 regularly, while official understandings to regulate Kurdistan Region ports have not yet been reached. He categorically denied the existence of any unofficial ports in the central and southern provinces.

Customs Statement: The Director of the Customs Authority stated that a large percentage of federal ports now use the ASYCUDA system, aiming for full implementation across all ports (except the Kurdistan Region) by the end of 2026.

Conclusion: The Speaker directed the hosted officials to provide the specialized parliamentary committee with written answers to all points raised by the MPs.

The session was then adjourned until Monday, January 19, 2026