At the time of publishing this newsletter, Washington, Baghdad and Erbil are growing increasingly concerned about the threats and attacks against diplomatic missions and Coalition facilities in Iraq. As Kurdistan Region President Nechirvan Barzani recently put it, ‘We support efforts of Iraqi leaders to prevent more attacks and stand ready to help ensure security and stability in the country.’

The attacks on diplomatic missions, including the US embassy in Baghdad, go against international law and are not in the interests of Iraq or the Kurdistan Region. Coalition forces are in Iraq at the invitation of the government to protect our people and support our forces against ISIS. The explosions that were heard in Erbil today, with no reported casualties, are of course, a cause of concern. We hope that there will be a de-escalation, wiser and cooler heads will prevail and action can be taken to end these attacks.

On the domestic front, relations between Erbil and Baghdad continue to head in the right direction. Earlier this month, Iraqi Prime Minister Mustafa Kadhimi visited Kurdistan Region for the first time since taking the helm. As he toured all four provinces of Kurdistan, he was greeted with warmth by both the public and officials. It is fair to say that there is cautious optimism in the relationship between the KRG and the federal government, though there are many challenges to overcome. 

In the disputed territories, there is anger and frustration about a revival of the Arabization program whereby Kurds are coerced or forcibly removed out of their homes, which are taken by Arab settlers. 

In a statement issued on September 22, Prime Minister Masrour Barzani said, ‘We are watching with grave concern the situation in the disputed territories, in Kirkuk province in particular, where Arabization policies and attempts to change their demography continue systematically to date.’He added, ‘Imposing these policies will threaten peace and stability in these areas. These policies run counter to our will for all ethnic groups to live together in peace and harmony.’

In the Kurdistan Region, as elsewhere in Iraq and around the world, COVID-19 continues to take a toll on the population. Some 47,810 cases of infection have been confirmed in Kurdistan and 1,749 people have died. The KRG has spent more than $38 million to combat COVID-19 and is carrying out 5,000 tests a day. The KRG continues to invest in healthcare and this month, the Prime Minister laid the foundation stone of a 100-bed hospital in the Shiladze area.

In bilateral relations, US Ambassador Matthew Tueller toured one of the Ministry of Peshmerga Affairs’ facilities and formally handed over about $250million worth of military assistance, noting that it is a lasting symbol of US commitment to the people of Iraq and Kurdistan Region. Ambassador James Jeffrey, Special Representative for Syria Engagement and Special Envoy to the Global Coalition to Defeat ISIS, was welcomed by various KRG officials.

Here in Washington, the KRG US Representation’s outreach to Congress and the US Administration continued, and the US Kurdistan Business Council hosted a discussion with David Copley of the State Department’s Near East Bureau. 

Next week, on Tuesday, October 6, at 11 am EST, I will be moderating a discussion with Peshmerga commander Major General Sirwan Barzani and French philosopher and author Bernard-Henri Levy. General Barzani has firsthand experience fighting ISIS terrorists, while Mr. Levy has made documentary films about the Peshmerga and the liberation of Mosul. You can register for the online event below.

Representative to the United States

Kurdistan Regional Government

In this episode of the Kurdistan in America podcast, we interview Yadgar Merani, the founder and CEO of Lezzoo, an on-demand delivery service that has expanded to delivering groceries, cleaning and other services. Listen to Yadgar tell the story of the Kurdistan Region’s most exciting start-up, the only start-up in Kurdistan and Iraq to be supported by YCombinator, and his hopes for youth entrepreneurs in Kurdistan and Iraq.

In an interview with Kurdistan24, the outgoing Coalition Spokesman takes questions and discusses the role of the Peshmerga forces fighting ISIS. He shares his experience in Iraq and the Kurdistan Region, and his love of the Kurds and Kurdish culture.