Washington Kurdish Institute
May 11, 2023
The President of the Washington Kurdish Institute (WKI), Sierwan Najmaldin Karim, participated in a delegation to the Kurdistan Region led by David Tafuri, the head of the United States-Kurdistan Business Council (USKBC), and the Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG) Representative to the United States, Bayan Sami Abdulrahman. During the delegation’s visit to Erbil from May 8 to May 10, several meetings were held with top Kurdish officials to discuss critical Kurdistan-related topics.
The delegation discussed the pause of Kurdistan’s oil exports since March, the recent agreement between KRG Prime Minister Masrour Barzani and Iraqi Prime Minister Mohammed Shia al Sudani, the budget bill, disputed territories, and other related issues. Meetings were held with various officials, including Prime Minister Masrour Barzani, Deputy Prime Minister Qubad Talabani, Interior Minister Rebar Ahmed, acting Minister of Peshmerga, Abdulkhaleq Baperi, acting Minister of Natural Resources (MNR), Kamal Salih, Head of Department of Foreign Relations, Minister Safeen Dizayee, Chief of Staff of Kurdistan Region President, Fawzi Hariri, Senior Advisor to Kurdistan Region President, Falah Mustafa, Head of KRG Council of Ministers, Dr. Omed Sabah, Head of Investment Board, Dr. Mohammed Shukri, and the U.S. Deputy Consul General in Erbil, Zehra Bell.
During the meeting with Prime Minister Masrour Barzani, the discussions covered relations between Baghdad and Erbil, foreign investment, and coexistence among communities in Kurdistan. Prime Minister Barzani emphasized that the Kurdistan Region has “fulfilled all its obligations within the framework of the constitution and agreements while urging the federal government to uphold the constitutional rights of the people of the Kurdistan Region.” The President of WKI, Sierwan Najamaldin Karim, praised Prime Minister Barzani’s efforts in reaching agreements with Baghdad after nearly a decade of deadlock. The recent agreement is a step toward ensuring the release of Kurdistan’s federal budget share, ending the dispute between Baghdad and Erbil over the exports of natural resources. Furthermore, the participants emphasized the importance of adopting oil and gas law by the Iraqi parliament soon.
On May 10, the delegation met with Deputy Prime Minister Qubad Talabani, discussing internal Kurdish affairs, particularly the need for Kurdish unity and a more cohesive approach in Baghdad to secure the constitutional rights of Kurdistan.
Furthermore, the delegation met with the interior Minister, Rebar Ahmed, and discussed the latest security developments in the region and opportunities to strengthen business ties between the Kurdistan Region and the United States. Likewise, Acting Minister Abdulkhaleq Bapiri received the delegation at the Ministry of the Peshmerga, where they discussed the latest military and political developments in the Kurdistan region, including the security situation in the disputed territories. Later, the delegation visited the Reform Department at the Peshmerga Ministry, meeting with senior commanders and officials from the language institute.
On May 9, the acting Minister of Natural Resources (MNR), Mr. Kamal Salih, received the delegation and emphasized the importance of the oil and gas agreement between Baghdad and Erbil, presenting a summary of the agreement. The MNR statement also expressed the ministry’s willingness to facilitate foreign investment in the Kurdistan Region. Likewise, the Minister of Agriculture and Water Resources, Begard Talabani, received the delegation. The meeting focused on coordinating and developing relations between farmers of Kurdistan and the United States, as well as agricultural investment in the region.
During the meeting with Mr. Fawzi Hariri, Chief of Staff of Kurdistan Region President, and Senior Advisor to KRG President, Falah Mustafa, discussing the strategic outlook on the economy, relations with Baghdad and neighboring countries, the US-Kurdistan partnership, oil issues, and the Peshmerga reform program. Separately, the delegation also met with Dr. Omed Sabah, Head of KRG Council of Ministers to discuss the latest developments in the Iraqi political process, the new agreement with Baghdad, and the resumption of oil exports. In the meeting with Minister Safeen Dizayee, the Head of the Department of Foreign Relations, the two sides discussed joint projects and initiatives and encouraged direct investment in various sectors and fields.
Lastly, the U.S. Deputy Consul General in Erbil, Zehra Bell, welcomed the delegation and announced their continued commitment to “working together to advance U.S. interests and prosperity in the region.”
Mr. Sierwan Najmaldin Karim, the President of WKI, praised the KRG for their unwavering commitment to Kurdistan’s progress, despite the obstacles. He reaffirmed WKI’s commitment to advocating for Kurdish rights in Washington and ensuring that Kurdistan’s voice is heard.