ISHM: December 10 - December 17, 2020
Format
Key Takeaways:
UNAMI Urges Parliament To Fund Elections; KRG “Ready” To Exchange Oil For Funds; Controversial Politician Barred From Elections; Dhi-Qar Protest Site Cleared; Kadhimi Visits Ankara – On December 11, UNAMI urged lawmakers to quickly approve a IQD329 billion bill, without which the Independent High Electoral Commission won’t be able to perform critical electoral preparations. UNAMI also projected that the distribution of biometric cards would reach only 2% of 11.3 million voters who still don’t have them by June. On December 12, PM Kadhimi and Speaker Halbousi chaired a meeting between the federal government and a KRG delegation led by Qubad Talabani to negotiate for funding under the deficit financing law Iraq’s Parliament passed in November. Talabani said the KRG was ready to hand over its oil and non-oil revenue. On December 14, an Iraqi court barred Salah ad-Din politician Ahmed Abdullah al-Jubouri (aka Aby Mazin) from competing in the next election. On December 15, Iraq’s Foreign Minister visited Ankara and met his Turkish counterpart for preliminary talks ahead of a visit by PM Kadhimi, which began two days later with a meeting between Kadhimi and Erdogan. The talks focused on water resources, economic cooperation and the PKK. On December 14, the governor of Dhi-Qar said authorities removed all protest tents at Haboubi Square and reopened adjacent streets to traffic after reaching an agreement with protesters. On December 16, a member of the parliamentary legal committee said that about 70 lawmakers have signed a request to amend up to seven points in the Elections Law. more…