On May 6, 2020, in Baghdad, the Iraqi Parliament voted to approve the government of Mustafa Al KADHIMI, ending weeks of political deadlock.

The parliament approved 15 members of the Cabinet, including Juma ENAD for the Defense Ministry, Othman GHANIMI for the Interior Ministry, Ali Abdul Amir ALAWI for the Finance Ministry, and Nabil KADHIM for the Higher Education Ministry. Nominees for the ministers of trade, justice, culture, migration, and agriculture were rejected and the parliament postponed voting on the candidates for the Foreign Ministry and Oil Ministry.

Mustafa Al-KADHIMI tweeted: “My Cabinet has earned Parliament’s support and we will work to earn the trust and support of the Iraqi people”. “I am grateful to those who worked with us to form the government.” “I urge all political actors to come together around a national programme to serve Iraq’s interests”.

During his address to Parliament he pledged to organize transparent and early elections, to restrict access to weapons, and to curb corruption.

KADHIMI’s government must deal with an impending economic crisis precipitated by the coronavirus pandemic, which has caused the prices of oil – Iraq’s principal source of revenue – to plummet.

It also faces a growing Islamic State insurgency as the extremist group steps up attacks on government troops in remote areas of northern Iraq.

Iraq risks being caught up in any regional conflict between the US and Iran, as militia groups vow revenge for the killing of Qassem SOLEIMANI Iranian military commander and Kataib Hezbollah founder Abu Mahdi al-MUHANDIS.

Mike POMPEO, the U.S. Secretary of State welcomed the new government in a call with KADHIMI, said in a statement the U.S. State Department.

It also said Washington would renew for 120 days a waiver allowing Iraq to import electricity from Iran “to help provide the right conditions for success” of the new government.

The EU ambassador to Iraq Martin HUTH, said he was following the session with “great interest” and “We wish all the best for Iraq – sovereignty, prosperity, stability, and progress”.

This article was edited using the data from the France24.com, Reuters.com, Thenational.ae, and www.aljazeera.com.

Source of the photo: www.aljazeera.com.