Committees' recent meetings - 19 December 2019
Social Affairs and Protection of Human Rights Committee
17 December - The committee held their regular meeting, led by the chair Mr. Romeo Hakari (National Union Coalition) to discuss the bills (draft laws) submitted to the committee.
They discussed the articles of the Bill on reform of pensions, salaries, allowances, grants and benefits in the Kurdistan Region. MPs’ comments were taken into consideration and they worked on preparing a report to direct it to Parliament’s Presidency. The MPs also discussed many official letters directed to the committee.
The committee decided to hold a meeting on 22 and 23 January with people with special needs, relevant organizations and the government.
Reconstruction and Investment Committee
17 December - The committee, led by the chair Mr. Hawre Mala Star (PUK), held their regular meeting.
The MPs spoke about their visits to the KRG Ministry of Reconstruction and to the Investment Board. The committee decided to form a sub-committee to visit universities and colleges that obtained investment licences from the Investment Board.
MPs also discussed all the notes and requests from the public, and replied to them.
Parliament Affairs Committee
18 December - The committee held their regular meeting, led by the chair Mr. Esmail Sgery (KIU), and discussed the Reform bill on pensions, salaries, allowances, grants and other benefits. MPs decided to prepare a report and direct it to Parliament’s Presidency. MPs also discussed all the notes and requests from the public, and replied to them.
Martyrs’ Affairs, Genocide and Political Prisoners Committee
18 December - the committee held their regular meeting led by the chair Ms. Sawsan Mohammad Mirkhan (KDP). The meeting was attended by the KRG Minister of Martyrs’ Affairs, Mr. Abdulla Haji Mahmood. They discussed the Bill on reform of pensions, salaries, allowances, grants and other benefits.
Integrity Committee
17 December - The committee, led by the chair Ms. Shirin Amin (Change), held their weekly meeting. All the reports, complaints, and requests submitted to the committee were read, discussed and answered.
The committee also discussed the expenditure of 5 million US dollars allocated to Erbil when it was selected as the 2014 tourism capital by the Arab Council of Tourism. The MPs decided to request access to all of the Kurdistan Integrity Commission’s reports on it to find out more about the case.
Finance and Economic Affairs Committee
18 December - The committee, led by the chair Mr. Ziyad Jabbar (PUK), welcomed Mr. Kazim Namiq, the General Manager of Kurdistan's banks. Mr. Namiq outlined to the committee the mechanisms for changing to and using electronic banking systems. He said that 65 to 70 percent of contractors' debts have been paid off, the government pays 10 million dollars per month in private bank debt, and Kurdistan now has 90 banks. Another focus of the meeting was on people's trust in banksin Kurdistan, and public banks’ agricultural and commercial loans that have yet to be repaid.
The committee announced their support for electronic banking in Kurdistan and asked that the process to electronisation be speeded up. Mr. Namiq said that there are 90 banks in all Kurdistan, of which 35 are in Erbil, 33 in Slemani and 22 in Duhok, and banks employ 10,000 people.
Energy, Natural Resources, Commerce and Industry Committee
17 December - The committee, led by the chair Mr. Ali Hama Salih (Change), held their weekly meeting. The meeting, which was attended by a representative of the KRG Ministry of Natural Resources, discussed the bill (draft law) on anti-smuggling of oil and oil products in Kurdistan Region. The Committee prepared its report on the bill in consultation with the Ministry of Natural Resources representative and committee advisers. The MPs decided to submit the report to the Presidency of Parliament.
Protection of Women's Rights Committee
17 December - The committee, led by the chair Ms. Lanja Dizayee (KDP) held a meeting with the participation of Mr. Romeo Hakari (National Union Coalition), chair of the Social Affairs and Human Rights Committee, and the Head of the UN office for combating people trafficking and narcotics. The meeting focused on preventing the trafficking of persons and narcotics. They discussed how to raise awareness of these crimes in communities, how to support the relevant laws and help those affected.