Prime Minister Mohammed Shiaa Al-Sudani has officially declared Babylon as the "Industrial Capital of Iraq," marking a significant milestone in the country's industrial development. During a ceremony at Al-Mutahida Packaging in Babylon, Al-Sudani inaugurated a plastic ampoules and caps factory with a capacity of 120,000 tonnes annually, a flexographic printing plant with 35,000 tonnes capacity, and launched construction of a plastic granules plant with 300,000 tonnes annual capacity. Al-Sudani emphasised the province's strategic location, agricultural base, and strong private sector as key factors behind its selection. He further noted that industrial expansion is critical for job creation and reducing reliance on oil revenues, with non-oil income now reaching 14 percent of state revenues, up from 7 percent in recent years. "The sound of machines and factories must remain the loudest in Iraq," Al-Sudani stressed, framing the initiative as part of Iraq's Vision 2050 strategy to build a diversified and sustainable economy.