RE: Masrour Barzani confirmed as new PM10 Jul 2019 17:12
... But the ministry of natural resources — of which oil is the most important and lucrative — remains without an official head, making PM Barzani its de facto manager.
The regional government in Irbil is currently locked in a dispute over oil revenues with Iraq’s federal authorities, which insist that the KRG must hand over revenues from the 250,000 bpd it exports through the north.
In exchange, the KRG would receive a portion of the federal budget and Baghdad would pay the salaries of its employees.
The parties regularly accuse each other of failing to fulfil their obligations.
Observers have pointed out that Nechirvan Barzani’s ascent to the presidency could ease the ties between the two, but Masrour Barzani — who embodies the KDP’s more “nationalist” current — would adopt a harder line and be less willing to negotiate.
On Wednesday, PM Barzani said a delegation from Irbil would travel to Baghdad soon to strengthen ties.
Ministers would then tackle the profound financial crisis ravaging the Kurdish region’s economy in recent years.
“The government currently owes $14 billion in debts,” he said.
http://www.arabnews.com/node/1523696/middle-east