Iraqi President Barham Saleh addresses a press conference at The Elysee Palace in Paris. He has been nominated to serve a second term in office. AFP
Iraqi President Barham Saleh addresses a press conference at The Elysee Palace in Paris. He has been nominated to serve a second term in office. AFP
Iraqi President Barham Saleh addresses a press conference at The Elysee Palace in Paris. He has been nominated to serve a second term in office. AFP
Iraqi President Barham Saleh addresses a press conference at The Elysee Palace in Paris. He has been nominated to serve a second term in office. AFP

Iraq's President Barham Salih nominated by ruling Kurdish party to run for second term


Mina Aldroubi
  • English
  • Arabic

Barham Salih, a veteran of the Iraqi political scene, was nominated by one of Iraqi Kurdistan’s leading political parties to run for president.

If confirmed, it will be his second term.

Iraq’s political system is divided among Shiite, Sunni and Kurdish political parties.

Top positions such as the presidency are reserved for a nomination from one of the two main Kurdish parties, while Shiites get the prime minister’s post and Sunnis get the parliamentary speaker's position.

“We state our full endorsement for the current Iraqi President to run for a second term," the Patriotic Union of Kurdistan (PUK) said.

The party's nomination has held the position of presidency since 2005.

Iraqi Kurdistan is divided both geographically and politically by two political parties, the Kurdistan Democratic Party (KDP) which is led by the Barzani family and the PUK led by the Talabani family.

These zones solidified after a short civil war between the two sides in 1994.

They have had a long-standing agreement whereby the PUK nominates the Iraqi president of its choice and the KDP gets the presidency of Kurdistan's regional government.

But after the Iraq elections in 2018, the KDP put forth a candidate and challenged Mr Salih's nomination.

The party last week marked Hoshyar Zebari as its nominee for the presidency in response to the PUK’s candidate.

Mr Zebari was Iraq's finance minister but was removed from office after a vote of no confidence over alleged corruption and misuse of public funds.

He was later cleared of the charges.

In response, the PUK said the "KDP has taken steps independently and made agreements with some political parties without any regards to the will of Kurdish parties and Kurdish unity".

Who is Barham Salih?

Mr Salih became the ninth president of Iraq in October 2018 when Parliament elected him with an overwhelming majority.

He has held several high-ranking positions in Baghdad's central government.

He served as the deputy prime minister for economic affairs and the head of the parliamentary economic committee from 2005 to 2009.

Mr Salih was also the planning minister in the Iraqi transitional government and in 2004 held the role of deputy prime minister in Iraq’s interim government, before the country's first official elections in 2005, after the end of the Baath regime.

The Kurdish leadership expected Mr Salih to head the Kurdistan electoral slate and he was designated to form the sixth Kurdish government. He then became the prime minister of the Kurdistan regional government from 2009 to 2011.

He was also the prime minister of the KRG in Sulaymaniyah in 2001 for three years.

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Know before you go
  • Jebel Akhdar is a two-hour drive from Muscat airport or a six-hour drive from Dubai. It’s impossible to visit by car unless you have a 4x4. Phone ahead to the hotel to arrange a transfer.
  • If you’re driving, make sure your insurance covers Oman.
  • By air: Budget airlines Air Arabia, Flydubai and SalamAir offer direct routes to Muscat from the UAE.
  • Tourists from the Emirates (UAE nationals not included) must apply for an Omani visa online before arrival at evisa.rop.gov.om. The process typically takes several days.
  • Flash floods are probable due to the terrain and a lack of drainage. Always check the weather before venturing into any canyons or other remote areas and identify a plan of escape that includes high ground, shelter and parking where your car won’t be overtaken by sudden downpours.

 

Lexus LX700h specs

Engine: 3.4-litre twin-turbo V6 plus supplementary electric motor

Power: 464hp at 5,200rpm

Torque: 790Nm from 2,000-3,600rpm

Transmission: 10-speed auto

Fuel consumption: 11.7L/100km

On sale: Now

Price: From Dh590,000

AI traffic lights to ease congestion at seven points to Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Street

The seven points are:

Shakhbout bin Sultan Street

Dhafeer Street

Hadbat Al Ghubainah Street (outbound)

Salama bint Butti Street

Al Dhafra Street

Rabdan Street

Umm Yifina Street exit (inbound)

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Vitamin D: Highly relevant in the UAE due to limited sun exposure; supports bone health, immunity and mood.Vitamin B12: Important for nerve health and energy production, especially for vegetarians, vegans and individuals with absorption issues.Iron: Useful only when deficiency or anaemia is confirmed; helps reduce fatigue and support immunity.Omega-3 (EPA/DHA): Supports heart health and reduces inflammation, especially for those who consume little fish.

Why it pays to compare

A comparison of sending Dh20,000 from the UAE using two different routes at the same time - the first direct from a UAE bank to a bank in Germany, and the second from the same UAE bank via an online platform to Germany - found key differences in cost and speed. The transfers were both initiated on January 30.

Route 1: bank transfer

The UAE bank charged Dh152.25 for the Dh20,000 transfer. On top of that, their exchange rate margin added a difference of around Dh415, compared with the mid-market rate.

Total cost: Dh567.25 - around 2.9 per cent of the total amount

Total received: €4,670.30 

Route 2: online platform

The UAE bank’s charge for sending Dh20,000 to a UK dirham-denominated account was Dh2.10. The exchange rate margin cost was Dh60, plus a Dh12 fee.

Total cost: Dh74.10, around 0.4 per cent of the transaction

Total received: €4,756

The UAE bank transfer was far quicker – around two to three working days, while the online platform took around four to five days, but was considerably cheaper. In the online platform transfer, the funds were also exposed to currency risk during the period it took for them to arrive.

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Know your Camel lingo

The bairaq is a competition for the best herd of 50 camels, named for the banner its winner takes home

Namoos - a word of congratulations reserved for falconry competitions, camel races and camel pageants. It best translates as 'the pride of victory' - and for competitors, it is priceless

Asayel camels - sleek, short-haired hound-like racers

Majahim - chocolate-brown camels that can grow to weigh two tonnes. They were only valued for milk until camel pageantry took off in the 1990s

Millions Street - the thoroughfare where camels are led and where white 4x4s throng throughout the festival

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Updated: January 25, 2022, 10:00 AM