ERBIL, Kurdistan Region of Iraq – Kurdistan Region Prime Minister Masrour Barzani on Saturday said that Erbil is willing to share with Baghdad its experience from the landmark Runaki project and assist with power supply, as the Kurdish premier continues his high-profile meetings in the Iraqi capital.

Barzani arrived in Baghdad on Saturday morning ahead of holding a series of meetings with top Iraqi officials, with the resolution of outstanding issues between the two governments being top of the agenda for the two-day visit.

Asked about reports suggesting that Baghdad wants to utilize Erbil’s experience with the round-the-clock electricity Runaki project, Barzani said “we will do everything we can to share our experiences so that the Iraqi government can benefit from it. We are ready.”

The Runaki project was announced by Barzani in October 2024, in a major step toward eliminating the electricity issues that the Kurdistan Region had struggled with for decades.

The project provides uninterrupted power for nearly 5.5 million people, over 85 percent of the Kurdistan Region’s population, according to electricity ministry data obtained by The New Region last month.

“There has been a lot of discussions on how we can assist one another, especially now, as it is the summer season, and more electricity is in demand in Iraq,” the prime minister told reporters in Baghdad after a meeting with judiciary chief Faiq Zidan.

Barzani added that the Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG) will “spare no efforts” to assist the Iraqi government with providing electricity for all its citizens.

Barzani’s visit marks his first official trip to Baghdad since the formation of the new Iraqi cabinet and his seventh visit as Kurdistan Region Prime Minister since taking office in 2019.

The premier’s meeting with Zidan saw the two sides agree “on the necessity of respecting the constitution, the federal system, as well as the constitutional rights of the Kurdistan Region’s people and all components,” while underscoring the judiciary’s “important and independent” role, Barzani’s office said.

“We discussed the political and overall situation in Iraq, and emphasized the important role and independence of Iraq’s judicial authority in preserving security and political stability in the country,” the premier wrote in an X post after the meeting.

In response to a reporter’s question whether the pair discussed the constitutional issues the Kurdistan Region’s people have previously struggled with, Barzani said “of course, we have held discussions, we have advocated for the provision of all constitutional rights of the people of the Kurdistan Region.”

Iraq’s new cabinet was approved by the parliament on May 14, with 14 of 23 ministerial portfolios having thus far been filled.

Prior to meeting Zidan, Barzani had also met with Iraqi Prime Minister Ali al-Zaidi as well as parliament speaker Haibat al-Halbousi, where he raised the need to “respect” the Kurdistan Region’s federal status with the Iraqi premier, while agreeing with the parliament speaker to resolve outstanding issues between Erbil and Baghdad through a number of legislative bills based on the constitutional rights. 

The Kurdish premier later met with Abdul Hussein al-Moussawi, head of the National al-Nahj Alliance and Iraq’s new health minister. The meeting saw discussions on ways to develop coordination between political forces in the country and resolve outstanding issues between Erbil and Baghdad.

Barzani also met with the leader of Sunni Azm Alliance Muthanna al-Samarrai, discussing the overall situation in the country, and Iraq’s political process. The pair stressed “the need to strengthen coordination and cooperation between Iraq and the Kurdistan Region’s political sides” to overcome challenges and resolve the outstanding issues between Erbil and Baghdad, according to the Kurdish leader’s office.

Barzani is set to hold several other meetings with top government and party officials later on Saturday and on Sunday.