The Hotel Al-Rasheed Agreement or The Hotel Al-Rasheed Deal was a political agreement in Kirkuk by political parties for governorship role of Kirkuk following the 2023 Iraqi governorate elections in Kirkuk.
History On 10 August 2024 in Baghdad, the capital of Iraq, a meeting session was held in the Royal Tulip Al Rasheed Hotel. Out of the 16 members of the Kirkuk Provincial Council, 9 members were present in the meeting. During the meeting the next governor of Kirkuk and the next chairman of the Kirkuk Provincial Council were elected.
Agreement In the meeting Patriotic Union of Kurdistan's Rebwar Taha was elected as the governor of Kirkuk and Mohammed Hafidh was elected as the chairman of the Kirkuk Provincial Council. This session was boycotted by Kurdistan Democratic Party, Arab Alliance in Kirkuk and the Iraqi Turkmen Front. On 13 August 2024, Rebwar Taha officially assumed office as the Governor of Kirkuk.
Rotation of governorship On 16 August 2026, the Kirkuk provincial council held a session in which 14 out of the 16 members were present. The governor of Kirkuk, Rebwar Taha, resigned as governor and Mohammed Samaan Agha was elected as his successor. Due to the power-sharing agreement that the ITF wasn't originally a part of, Mohammed Samaan will continue his duties as governor of Kirkuk until 1 January 2027. After that an Arab will be elected as the new governor of Kirkuk because of the agreement of 10 August 2024.
Council boycotts Following the agreement the Kurdistan Democratic Party, Iraqi Turkmen Front and the Arab Alliance in Kirkuk boycotted the Kirkuk Provincial Council. It was until 16 August 2026 when the Iraqi Turkmen Front and the Arab Alliance in Kirkuk ended their boycott following the change of governorship of Kirkuk from PUK's Rebwar Taha to ITF leader, Mohammed Samaan. The PDK continued their two-year boycott of the council until 28 July 2026 when they officially attended a session.
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