On Wednesday, the Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG) Council of Ministers convened under the chairmanship of Prime Minister Masrour Barzani in a session attended by Deputy Prime Minister Qubad Talabani.

The Council reviewed the summary of a joint memorandum signed in Baghdad on June 18, 2026, between the Federal Customs Authority and the Kurdistan Region Customs Directorate regarding the implementation of the UNCTAD Automated System for Customs Data (ASYCUDA).

A KRG technical committee presented details of the memorandum and the initial understanding reached between the federal government and the KRG. The Council welcomed the agreement, emphasizing that its objective is to unify customs procedures across Iraq, digitize customs operations, enhance transparency in border revenues, increase public income, reduce bureaucracy, and facilitate trade through border crossings.

Last week, the KRG and the Iraqi federal government reached an agreement on all technical aspects of implementing ASYCUDA at the border crossings in the Kurdistan Region.

ASYCUDA is an integrated customs management system for international trade and transport operations.