Shafaq News/ On Monday, the IraqiMinistry of Planning indicated that the population census in the KurdistanRegion (KRI) may face delays due to technical challenges.
While visiting Erbil with adelegation to discuss and coordinate the census procedures, Abdul ZahraAl-Hindawi, spokesperson for the Ministry, told Shafaq News, "Preparationsare ongoing in all governorates, including the KRI, for the census scheduledfor November 20."
"We have entered the phase ofnumbering and listing across all governorates." However, he noted that"the numbering and listing in Kurdistan, particularly in Erbil, mightexperience slight delays due to issues with the arrival of necessaryequipment."
"By next week, KRI governorates[Erbil, Duhok, Al-Sylaymaniya, and Halabja] are expected to join the rest ofthe country in the census process, which will last for two months and involvenumbering and categorizing all buildings and structures as either commercial orresidential," he added. "This stage is crucial for the success of thecensus."
In related news, the KurdistanPlanning Ministry announced the start of training sessions for its staff inErbil, Al-Sulaymaniyah, and Duhok, with several venues allocated for thesesessions.
Notably, the last census in 1997recorded a population of 22.33 million (excluding KRI), while a 2022 estimateby the Ministry of Planning put the current population at around 42 million.This census, part of a five-year development plan announced by Prime MinisterMohammed Shia Al-Sudani, aims to provide crucial demographic data for economicand policy planning. However, there are concerns about potential politicalinterference affecting data accuracy.