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New Delhi, May 16 (IANS) Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday congratulated Ali Falih Kadhim al-Zaidi on assuming office as the new Prime Minister of Iraq, reaffirming India’s commitment to deepening bilateral ties and cooperation between the two countries.

Posting on X, Prime Minister Modi said, “Heartiest congratulations to Ali Falih Kadhim al-Zaidi on assuming office as Prime Minister of Iraq. India highly values its long-standing and friendly ties with Iraq and remains firmly committed to further strengthening our bilateral ties in all areas. I extend my best wishes to him and look forward to working together for the shared progress and prosperity of our two nations.”

Ali al-Zaidi was sworn in as Iraq’s new Prime Minister after securing parliamentary approval for a partial Cabinet amid ongoing political negotiations over several key ministerial positions.

Iraq’s Parliament approved 14 members of the new Cabinet, while voting on important portfolios, including the interior and defence ministries, was postponed due to the absence of political consensus.

According to a parliamentary statement, 266 lawmakers voted in favour of the approved ministers during a session chaired by Speaker Haibat al-Halbousi. Among those approved were Fuad Hussein, who retained his position as foreign minister, Bassim Mohammed Khudair as oil minister, and Faleh al-Sari as finance minister.

Following the confidence vote, Prime Minister Ali al-Zaidi and the 14 approved ministers took the constitutional oath before Parliament, officially beginning the new administration’s tenure.

Under Iraq’s Constitution, a prime minister-designate is required to secure parliamentary approval for both the Cabinet and the government programme before formally assuming office.

On April 27, Iraqi President Nizar Amedi appointed Ali al-Zaidi as prime minister-designate. Al-Zaidi was nominated by the Coordination Framework, the country’s largest parliamentary bloc and a coalition of Shiite political parties.

The Iraqi Constitution grants a prime minister-designate 30 days to present a Cabinet and government agenda before Parliament for a confidence vote.

Iraq continues to follow its post-2003 power-sharing arrangement, under which the presidency is traditionally held by a Kurd, the parliamentary speakership by a Sunni Muslim, and the office of prime minister by a Shiite Muslim.

--IANS

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