Shafaq News/ In a bid to foster unity and inclusivity among Iraq's various religious and ethnic groups, the government has recognized the Yazidi New Year as an official holiday in the country.

This decision was made during the 16th regular session of the Council of Ministers, chaired by Prime Minister Mohammed S. al-Sudani on Tuesday.

The session, according to a press release by al-Sudani's bureau, addressed pivotal matters pertaining to the government's execution of its program, including service enhancement, corruption eradication, poverty alleviation, unemployment reduction, and the realization of comprehensive economic reforms.

The prime minister, according to the press release, underscored the imperative of sustaining the impetus engendered by the government program, asserting that citizens must observe the assiduousness of state agencies in delivering on their project pledges.

"The prime minister directed all ministries to furnish monthly reports encapsulating non-oil revenues amassed by the ministries for evaluation," it said.

The cabinet, the statement added, proclaimed the Eid al-Fitr holiday from Thursday, April 20, until Monday, April 24, 2023, extending well-wishes for peace and stability to Iraq and the Islamic world.

In acknowledgment of the Yazidi New Year, the Council of Ministers endorsed Wednesday, April 19, 2023, as an official holiday for Yazidi citizens, decreeing the first Wednesday of April as an annual official holiday for the Yazidi populace.

The assembly deliberated on agenda items and rendered requisite decisions, particularly in the sectors of land and infrastructure development, oil and energy, and financial and administrative reform.