Officials from the Kurdistan Region and the Iraqi federal government reached an initial agreement to unify the ASYCUDA customs system. The step aims to streamline procedures and improve coordination between both sides.
A delegation from the Kurdistan Regional Government met Iraqi federal officials in Baghdad. They discussed how to apply the system consistently across both jurisdictions. Both sides focused on aligning technical processes. They also agreed to follow the Kurdistan Region’s legal framework during implementation.
After the meeting, the joint team decided to submit a report to Iraq’s Economic Council. The report will outline the agreed mechanisms and request final approval. Officials also confirmed that a Baghdad delegation will visit Erbil next week. The visit will help finalize the remaining technical details.
Dr. Sami Jalal, an advisor at the Ministry of Interior, said both sides respected the Kurdistan Region’s legal and administrative framework. He added that officials will deliver a dedicated version of the ASYCUDA system to the KRG. The system will include Kurdish language support. After training, local government employees will manage the system across the Region’s provinces.
Jalal also addressed reports about placing federal representatives at border crossings. He said officials did not discuss this proposal during the meeting.
As a next step, a technical customs team from Baghdad will visit Erbil on Sunday. The team will work directly with KRG officials to complete the agreement. After that, officials will present the final version to Iraq’s Council of Ministers. This step will allow full implementation of the system.
