Iraq has completed 71% of its plan to lift the European ban on the “Green Bird.”
Iraq has completed 71% of its plan to lift the European ban on the “Green Bird.”
2025-05-29 07:50
Shafaq News/ The Iraqi government announced, on Thursday, the completion of 71% of the corrective plan to lift the European ban on Iraqi Airways.
This came during a meeting chaired by Prime Minister Mohammed Shia al-Sudani with representatives of the International Air Transport Association (IATA) to follow up on procedures for lifting the European ban on Iraqi Airways.
A statement issued by Al-Sudani’s media office, received by Shafaq News Agency, stated that the latter listened to a detailed explanation from the delegation’s representative and the head of the Iraqi Civil Aviation Authority about the latest developments in this file, which included the completion of (71%) of the corrective plan set during previous meetings, in addition to discussing the signing of a memorandum of understanding between Iraq and IATA.
During the meeting, according to the statement, the status of aviation safety was reviewed in accordance with the standards of the International Operational Safety Audit (IOSA) program, which is specific to this matter, and the European Safety Agency (EASA). IATA also confirmed the provision of technical training courses to enhance knowledge of aviation governance systems within Iraq, and emphasized the improvement of performance in the Air Operations Department.
The statement indicated that the meeting also addressed airport security standards, as well as the preparation of a study to develop Iraqi pilots, and efforts to achieve harmony between Iraqi Airways and air service providers related to cargo, ground services, and fuel, in addition to completing other requirements.
It’s worth noting that Iraqi Airways has faced a major challenge for nearly a decade, posed by the continued ban on its aircraft by the European Union.
The European ban on Iraqi Airways dates back to 1991, following the former Iraqi regime’s invasion of Kuwait and the imposition of international sanctions on Iraq.
The ban was briefly lifted in 2009, before being reimposed in 2015 due to air safety violations.
The reason for this ban is the company’s failure to meet international aviation safety standards set by the International Air Transport Association (IATA).
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