Iraqi Parliament Completes First Reading of Three Bills

The Iraqi Parliament completed the first reading of three draft laws during its 16th session on Monday, chaired by Speaker Haybat Al-Halbousi and attended by 226 lawmakers.

The bills cover several areas, including women’s empowerment, agricultural trade and public-private partnerships.

One of the bills concerns Iraq’s accession to the Statute of the Organization of Women Development in the Member States of the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation, with the aim of strengthening women’s capabilities and expanding their role in political, social and economic development.

Parliament also conducted the first reading of a proposed amendment to the 2012 Agricultural Materials Trading Law. The legislation seeks to regulate the trading of agricultural products, protect local production, ensure compliance with required standards and establish penalties for related violations.

The third bill focuses on public-private partnerships, aiming to increase private-sector participation in economic development, enhance state revenues and establish a legal framework for cooperation between the public and private sectors.