Included in his priorities are holding early elections, prevent the country’s economy from failing and mitigating the damage done by the coronavirus outbreak, reducing poverty, and imposing rule of law.

Zurfi expressed concern about the threat posed by the global fall in the price of oil, but confidence that Iraq could overcome the crisis and limit the economic damage, NRT reported.

Approximately 90 percent of Iraq’s budget comes from the export of oil and the current price slide poses an enormous challenge to the government’s ability to face down the many social, economic, and political problems that it faces.

The prime minister-designate also expressed his condolence to the ambassadors for the toll that the coronavirus pandemic is taking in Europe and discussed the measures that Iraq was taking to fight the virus.

Iraqi President Barham Salih tapped Zurfi to form a government on March 17, leaving him a little more than two weeks from now to accomplish the task.

Reporter’s code: 50101