Kurdistan Regional Government Representation in the United States Washington D.C.

Welcome to our July 2020 Newsletter

I would like to begin by wishing a happy and blessed Eid Al Adha to Muslims in the Kurdistan Region, Iraq, the United States and around the world, especially to healthcare workers who are working this Eid to take care of Covid-19 patients. There are many around the world who are today separated from their loved ones due to the coronavirus. I hope this will be the last Eid when you will be apart. As we say in Kurdish, cejntan piroz bet.   Sadly today also marks the 37th anniversary of the genocide of the Barzanis, in which 8,000 men and boys from the Barzani tribe were taken by the Ba’ath regime and executed, their bodies hidden in mass graves in southern Iraq.   The genocide of the Barzanis ultimately became a blueprint for Saddam Hussein’s Anfal campaign five years later that led to the deaths of up to 182,000 Kurds who were killed by chemical weapons and coordinated operations of displacement and disappearance.   Today the sons and daughters of those victims of genocide are part of the revival of Kurdistan. Their attainments in education and contributions to our society are a testament to the resilience of the people of Kurdistan. We honor those who were killed and salute the survivors for their resolute spirit.

Monday, August 3 is the sixth anniversary of the genocide committed by ISIS against the Yazidis, Christians and other communities in Iraq. There are many Yazidis still missing after being abducted and enslaved by the terrorist organization, while others who survived live with the scars and trauma of the atrocities that befell their families and communities. Remembering, honoring, and bearing witness to these mass atrocities is an important part of the long and painful healing process, but even more important is to ensure that genocide does not take place again and that survivors are not left to suffer alone. We in Kurdistan and Iraq need the backing of our friends and allies in supporting the process of justice, accountability and reconciliation.   Kurdistan Region’s officials will be active participants Kurdistan and abroad in commemorating the anniversary of the genocide perpetrated by ISIS.   On August 2 and 3, Falah Mustafa, Senior Foreign Policy Advisor to President Nechirvan Barzani, and I will be taking part in a virtual conference hosted by the NGO Yazda. The conference will be live-streamed on Facebook and YouTube. Other speakers include Ambassador Sam Brownback, the US Ambassador At Large for International Religious Freedom, as well as activists, artists, and political and faith leaders from Iraq and Kurdistan.   On August 7, Minister Safeen Dizayee, Head of the Department of Foreign Relations of the KRG, will participate in a virtual panel discussion that our Mission is co-hosting with the Wilson Center. Ambassador Fareed Yasseen, the Iraqi Ambassador to the United States, will also be giving remarks.   We hope that you can join these and other events to mark this somber occasion and lend your support and voice to those who need it most.   Bayan Sami Abdul Rahman Representative to the United States Kurdistan Regional Government

KRG Representative meets with White House and State Department Ms. Abdul Rahman and Mr. Olson, who met in-person at the White House, discussed ways of enhancing the already strong relationship... Read more

Representative Abdul Rahman speaks in Kurdish National Congress The discussion was titled "Kurdistan Region: In the Crosshairs of Regional Hegemonic Interests" and was moderated... Read more

Head of Foreign Relations takes part in a panel discussion The discussion was organized by the Columbia University's Program on Peace-building and Human Rights, in collaboration with the Justice for Kurds... Read more

Representative Abdul Rahman briefs members of U.S. Congress Representative Bayan Sami Abdul Rahman had virtual meetings and phone calls with several Congress members in the past few weeks... Read more

President Nechirvan Barzani receives new U.S. Consul General President Nechirvan Barzani received the new Consul General of the United States of America in Erbil, Mr. Robert Waller, on Thursday. At their meeting, which was also attended by the... Read more presidency.gov.krd

Kurdistan Region President receives Iraq's Interior Minister President Nechirvan Barzani received Iraq's Interior Minister, Mr. Othman al-Ghanimi in Erbil on Thursday. Both sides discussed the latest security developments in Iraq, the dangers of ISIS... Read more presidency.gov.krd

President Barzani receives Iraq's Minister of Migration President Nechirvan Barzani received Iraq's Minister of Migration and the Displaced, Mrs. Evan Faek Jabro in Erbil on Sunday. At the meeting, the latest on the conditions of the refugees and ... Read more presidency.gov.krd

President Barzani meets with UNSG Special Rep. Plasschaert President Nechirvan Barzani met with the United Nations Secretary-General's Special Representative for Iraq, Jeanine Hennis-Plasschaert, in Erbil on Wednesday. Erbil-Baghdad relations and... Read more presidency.gov.krd

PM Masrour Barzani receives PUK Co-Leader Bafel Talabani Skip to the content Erbil, Kurdistan Region, Iraq (GOV.KRD) - Prime Minister Masrour Barzani on Monday met Co-Chair of Patriotic Union of Kurdistan (PUK) Bafel Talabani. In the meeting, both sides spoke about the latest developments in the... Read more gov.krd

PM Masrour Barzani receives UNITAD's Special Adviser Prime Minister Masrour Barzani on Thursday received Head of Investigative Team to Promote Accountability for Crimes Committed by ISIL in Iraq (UNITAD), Special Adviser Karim Khan. In... Read more gov.krd

Cabinet reviews implementation of reform law Prime Minister Masrour Barzani on Wednesday chaired a cabinet meeting via videoconference to discuss the measures necessary to implement the reform agenda and ongoing disputes with Baghdad. Read more gov.krd

KRG's Reform Programme Continues The Kurdistan Regional Government is this month rolling out a fully digitalised system to control operational expenditure. This important modernisation step - the result of detailed... Read more gov.krd

Cabinet approves Phase II of Biometric programme Prime Minister Masrour Barzani chaired a cabinet meeting via videoconference on Wednesday to discuss the second leg of the biometric programme and current situation in the agriculture... Read more gov.krd

Kurdistan Parliament publishes Law on Reform of Salaries The Kurdistan Parliament publishes the official English translation of the Law on Reform of Salaries, Allowances, Grants, Privileges & Retirement - Law No. 2 of 2020: PDF file of the translation . Enacted... Read more www.parliament.krd

Deputy Speaker Hawrami welcomes Head of Canada's Embassy Kurdistan Parliament Deputy Speaker Hemin Hawrami on 15 July met with Ms. Ashley Durec, the Head of Canada's Embassy Office in Erbil. Deputy Speaker Hawrami outlined the latest health and economic developments in Kurdistan... Read more www.parliament.krd

MPs visit border areas under Turkish and Iranian attacks A joint delegation of MPs from the Peshmerga, Interior and Relations committees on 4, 5 and 6 July visited the border areas of Erbil, Slemani and Duhok to see for themselves the damage caused by Turkey and Iran's military... Read more www.parliament.krd

KRG's Humanitarian Bulletin Since the beginning of Turkey's military ground and air offensive into the semi-autonomous Kurdistan Region of Iraq (KRI) at the end of June, five civilians have been killed, and dozens of villages have been vacated, including ten Assyrian... Read more myemail.constantcontact.com

Listen to the latest episode of our podcast "Kurdistan in America" This episode features an interview with Steve Lutes Steve, who is the Vice President of Middle East Affairs at the U.S. Chamber of Commerce. He is the Executive Director of the U.S.-Egypt Business Council, the U.S.-Iraq Business Initiative, the U.S.-GCC Business Initiative.

Listen to the Podcast

Kurdistan in the Media

Kurdistan Region: In the Crosshairs of Regional Hegemonic Interests – Webinar The Kurdish National Congress of North America hosted a panel discussion on the geopolitics of the Middle East and the interests of the Kurds. The panel included Kurdish representatives as well as international experts.

Iraqi Kurdistan Overcoming Challenges – Webinar The panel discussed how the KRG can overcome the economic and security challenges and how the new Prime Minister Kademi pursues the Kurds and establish trust between both sides.

Coexistence in Iraqi Kurdistan Learn about coexistence among the various religious groups that have lived side by side for millennia in the Kurdistan Region of Iraq. The film is produced by HL-senteret as a part of the Inclusive Citizenship project.

Children make up the majority of up to 4.5 million Iraqis at risk of poverty There is now a global consensus that the socio-economic impact of the unfolding COVID-19 crisis is devastating. Iraq is no exception, with losses... Read more How lessons about tolerance in Kurdistan can help Americans In our tense and vitriolic times, Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. offers sage advice, “Let no man pull you so low as to hate him.” We must instead build... Read more

Turkish air raid kills two civilians in Kurdistan’s Duhok: Source A Turkish airstrike in rural parts of the Kurdistan Region’s Duhok province killed at least two civilians, a security source told... Read more ‘Yazidi women are strong’: Iraq's female landmine clearance teams Isis planted mines across Sinjar and displaced the Yazidi community. Now a group of women are clearing the way for the return of their people Read more

Setting the record straight in Iraq The issues putting pressure on the U.S.-Iraqi relationship are daunting. Given everything happening in the bilateral relationship, why was a historical archive based in California,,, Read more Christians driven from homes in Iraqi Kurdistan by Turkish offensive Turkey’s ground and air offensive against Kurdish militants in northern Iraq has forced hundreds of Christians and other minorities to flee their villages in recent weeks. Read more

‘Coronavirus ruined everything’: the long wait for new limbs in Kurdistan Decades of war have resulted in a high demand for prosthetics – and patients are anxious to visit clinics as they finally reopen... Read more Travelers leaving Kurdistan Region must be tested for coronavirus... Any passengers traveling from Erbil and Sulaimani international airports in the Kurdistan Region must test negative for coronavirus... Read more

Kurdistan Region announces the rescue of 4 Yezidi women, children  On Thursday, the office of the Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG) dedicated to the rescue of the Yezidi (Ezidi) religious minority captured by... Read more Yezidi child survivors of ‘Islamic State’ facing unprecedented health crisis Almost 2,000 Yezidi children who have returned to their families after being held captive by the armed group calling itself Islamic State (IS) are facing a physical... Read more

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For inquiries, please contact Delovan Barwari, the Director of Public and Humanitarian Affairs, at: delovan.barwari@us.gov.krd