Kurdistan Regional Government
Representation in the United States
Washington D.C.
Welcome to our October 2021 Newsletter 
Elections to the 329-seat Iraqi Parliament took place on October 10, the sixth parliamentary elections since the 2003 US-led intervention. With a low turnout, preliminary results showed some interesting developments. 

The Kurdistan Democratic Party, led by President Masoud Barzani, won more than half the 60-plus seats won by Kurdish parties. The Patriotic Union of Kurdistan won 16 seats, while the New Generation won nine. For the first time, two women from the Kakayee Kurdish religious minority were elected to the Iraqi parliament, and several independent candidates from the Tishreen protest movement in southern Iraq have been elected.

Muqtada Sadr's Sairoon bloc secured the most seats at 73, with the State of Law bloc led by former Prime Minister Nouri Maliki winning less than half that number and other Shia parties winning fewer seats. The Taqadum (Progress) bloc won 37 seats, after the group led by Speaker of Parliament Mohamed Halbousi coalesced the Sunni Arab vote.

Some parties have disputed the results and even threatened violence. Appeals and allegations of fraud are being dealt with by the Independent High Electoral Commission, which is carrying out recounts after dismissing some of the appeals due to lack of evidence. It is worth noting that United Nations and European Union election observers declared the elections to be peaceful and orderly.

The next Iraqi government will need to tackle several challenges, including creating jobs for a rapidly growing population, reducing corruption, improving the delivery of services, continuing to push back on ISIS terrorists and other armed groups, enabling displaced communities to return to their homes, and tackling climate change. The UN Environment Programme puts Iraq in the top five countries in the world at risk from climate change.

Congressional resolution
We are grateful to members of the Kurdish American Congressional Caucus and senators Chris Van Hollen and Marco Rubio for the introduction a bipartisan resolution in the House of Representatives and the Senate commemorating the 30th anniversary of Operation Provide Comfort.
H.Con.Res. 32 celebrates the 30th anniversary of the operation and commends the strong Kurdish-American partnership today. It refers to the military-humanitarian operation that saved hundreds of thousands of refugees who fled to the mountains to escape from Saddam Hussein’s forces after the uprising against his tyranny in 1991.
 
The Kurdistan Regional Government Representation in the United States encourages Kurdish-Americans to send a message to their member of Congress in support of the resolution.

Canadian MP Tom Kmiec
We are fortunate that as well as the Kurdish American Congressional Caucus in the US Congress, there is the Parliamentary Friends of the Kurds in the Canadian Parliament, which was co-founded in 2016 by Tom Kmiec, member of parliament for Calgary Shepard.

Mr Kmiec is the guest of the KRG Representation’s Kurdistan in America podcast last month, where he speaks of his vision for the bilateral Canadian-Kurdistani relationship. Mr Kmiec arrived in Canada as a child refugee from East Europe and sees parallels between his family's background and the experience of many Kurds who have been forced to flee their homeland.

Condolences to America
We express our condolences to the people of America on the passing of Retired General Raymond Odierno and Former Secretary of State Colin Powell, both of whom passed away in October. They are both remembered with affection and respect in Kurdistan.

The Will To See
Bernard-Henri Levy, the French philosopher and writer, was in Washington DC last week to launch his book and documentary The Will To See, which detail his travel last year to eight places around the world, from Nigeria to Ukraine to Kurdistan Region. Mr Levy lays bare stories of suffering and courage and urges all of us not to turn away from our fellow world citizens at their time of need. 
The film and book include a section on the Peshmerga’s fight against ISIS terrorists, which continues today even though the conflict is no longer making international headlines.

Teaching Kurdish in Nashville
Congratulations to the Kurdish-American community in Nashville, Tennessee, which has worked successfully to have the Kurdish language taught in local community colleges and schools. The first class took place last month. Nashville is known as Little Kurdistan due to its sizeable Kurdish-American population which has made the city its home since the 1970s.



Bayan Sami Abdul Rahman
Representative to the United States
Kurdistan Regional Government
KRG Representative meets with Congressman Barry Loudermilk

Representative Bayan Sami Abdul Rahman had a virtual meeting on October 21 with Congressman Barry Loudermilk, Republican of Georgia...

KRG Representative meets with Congressman Sean Casten

Representative Bayan Sami Abdul Rahman had a virtual meeting with Congressman Sean Casten (D-IL), a member of the House Committee...

KRG Representative briefs members of Congress

Representative Bayan Sami Abdul Rahman continued her advocacy in Congress this week and met with several members of the House of ...

KRG Representative meets with Congressman Don Bacon

Representative Bayan Sami Abdul Rahman had a warm and cordial meeting with Congressman Don Bacon (R-NE), member of the Armed Services...

This month, the Kurdistan in America podcast is going north to Canada and is pleased to have the Honorable Tom Kmiec MP as its guest. Mr. Kmiec is serving his third term as a Member of the Canadian Parliament for Calgary Shepard. He is also the co-founder of the Canadian Parliamentary Friends of the Kurds.

Mr. Kmiec shares his insights on Canada's involvement in the Kurdistan Region and potential areas to expand bilateral relations. He also sheds light on his impressive knowledge of the Kurds and his encounters with the growing Kurdish community across Canada.

Born in Poland and raised as a refugee in Quebec, Mr. Kmiec sees parallels between his family's background in Eastern Europe and the experience of many Kurds who are forced to flee their homeland for political reasons.
President Barzani and US Ambassador discuss Iraq’s elections

Kurdistan Region President Nechirvan Barzani met with Mr. Matthew Tueller, the Ambassador of the United States to Iraq and his accompanying delegation, in Erbil on Monday evening. The President and the...

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presidency.gov.krd
President Barzani meets with UN Special Representative

Kurdistan Region President Nechirvan Barzani met with the Special Representative of the Secretary-General for the United Nations Assistance Mission for Iraq (UNAMI), Ms. Jeanine Hennis-Plasschaert, in...

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presidency.gov.krd
President Barzani receives Ambassador of Canada

Kurdistan Region President Nechirvan Barzani received Mr. Ulric Shannon, the outgoing Ambassador of Canada to Iraq, who paid a farewell visit to the President upon completion of his term in office. The...

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presidency.gov.krd
President Barzani meets with Emir of Qatar

Kurdistan Region President Nechirvan Barzani met with His Highness Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad al Thani, the Emir of Qatar, in Doha on Sunday. At the meeting, His Highness the Emir reaffirmed that Qatar attaches...

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presidency.gov.krd
KRI President offers congratulations on Yezidi celebrations

The President of the Kurdistan Region Nechirvan Barzani on Wednesday offered his congratulations to the Yezidis across the world on their annual Gathering and Feast of Seven Days, also known as the Jamayi...

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presidency.gov.krd
PM Masrour Barzani meets US Ambassador to Iraq

Prime Minister Masrour Barzani on Tuesday met Matthew Tueller, US ambassador to Iraq. Developments in Iraq were discussed, along with the Kurdistan Region's relationship with Washington.

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gov.krd
Statement by PM Masrour Barzani on US bipartisan resolution

I welcome the bipartisan resolution by our friends, Senators Chris Van Hollen and Marco Rubio commemorating Operation Provide Comfort and the strong partnership between Iraqi Kurdistan and the United States. I also appreciate...

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gov.krd
PM Masrour Barzani meets UNAMI chief

Prime Minister Masrour Barzani on Thursday met UNAMI chief Jeanine Hennis-Plasschaert. Both sides discussed the latest developments in Iraq including the elections, the role of...

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PM Masrour Barzani meets Coalition forces Commander

Prime Minister Masrour Barzani on Sunday met Major General John Brennan, coalition forces commander for Iraq and Syria. Prime Minister Barzani thanked the coalition for its support,...

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PM Masrour Barzani meets American LDS organisation

Prime Minister Masrour Barzani on Thursday met delegates from the American LDS organisation. The Premier thanked the delegation which has helped the Barzani Charity Foundation (BCF)...

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PM Barzani meets Patriarch of Assyrian Church of the East

Prime Minister Masrour Barzani on Saturday met his holiness Mar Awa Royel, Patriarch of the Assyrian Church of the East. PM Barzani congratulated him, expressing KRG support in...

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PM Masrour Barzani meets Yazidi Mir and Baba Sheikh

Prime Minister Masrour Barzani on Saturday met Mir Hazim Tahseen Beg, Yazidi Mir and Baba Sheikh, Sheikh Ali Sheikh Alyas. PM Barzani reiterated KRG's support for Yazidis and the...

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Speaker Faiq bids farewell to outgoing Canadian Ambassador

Kurdistan Parliament Speaker Dr. Rewaz Faiq on 27 October received the outgoing Canadian Ambassador to Iraq, Ulric Shannon, who met with the Speaker to bid her farewell at the end of his two-year posting in Iraq.

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www.parliament.krd
Parliament holds reading of amendments to Iraq Trade Law

The Kurdistan Parliament on 27 October 2021 held the second readings of amendments to the application of Iraq Trade Law No. 30 of 1984, and the Bill on Production and Import of Seeds and Plants and Registration, Approval, and...

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www.parliament.krd
Deputy Speaker meets with US Political Economic Officer

Kurdistan Parliament Deputy Speaker Dr. Hemin Hawrami on 24 October 2021 met with Mr. Joshua A. Lewis, Political Economic Officer at the US Consulate General in Kurdistan Region. They discussed the recent Iraqi election and...

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www.parliament.krd
Peshmerga Committee meet with US consular officials

October Kurdistan Parliament's Peshmerga Affairs Committee, led by the chair Reving Hirori (KDP), met with Mr. Spencer Fields, Director of Political Affairs at the US Consulate General; Mr. Said Hakimi, Second Secretary...

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Kurdistan in the Media
Prime Minister Barzani outlines key
KRG policies at MERI Forum 2021

The Middle East Research Institute (MERI), the Erbil-based think tank, held its annual MERI Forum on October 26 and 27. Among the speakers were President Nechirvan Barzani, Prime Minister Masrour Barzani and US Ambassador Matthew Teuller. In this video, you can see the Prime Minister’s discussion with journalist Amberin Zaman.
DAS Jennifer Gavito sets out Biden 
Administration’s Middle East priorities

The Middle East Research Institute’s annual MERI Forum heard from Jennifer Gavito, US Deputy Secretary of State for Iran and Iraq, in a panel discussion on the policies and strategies of global actors in Iraq’s neighborhood. Ms Gavito spoke about the Biden Administration’s priorities for the Middle East, including Iraq and Kurdistan.
Canadian Ambassador to Iraq tells Rudaw about future relations with Baghdad and Erbil
 
Ambassador Ulric Shannon, the outgoing Canadian Ambassador to Iraq, asserts that Ottawa wants a relationship with Iraq and Kurdistan Region based on common interests, trade, investment, and people-to-people exchange. He says, 'For us, the future is not going to be one where there’s a recipient and donor relationship.' 
Kurdish language on offer as elective course in Nashville, Tennessee

After years of work by the Kurdish community in Nashville, Tennessee, a Kurdish language course is now on offer as an elective class in select schools...

An independent Kurdistan is the best bet to contain ISIS

While concerns of a terrorist resurgence in Afghanistan are front and center, we need to remember that there are thousands of ISIS fighters waging...

Ankawa: A new district in Erbil province

In a historic decision, Masrour Barzani, the prime minister of the Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG), announced on October 4 that the ancient Christian...

Kurdistan PM visits homes damaged by flash floods in Erbil

Kurdistan Region Prime Minister Masrour Barzani visited Erbil's Zerin and Korean Villages where flash floods due to heavy rainfall on Saturday caused severe...

UAE's Crescent may export Kurdish gas in about 5 years after fulfilling local needs

UAE's Crescent Petroleum and its partners in the Pearl Petroleum consortium may start exporting gas from Iraq's semi-autonomous Kurdistan...

Iraq: Villagers suffer as Arab-Kurdish tensions lead to Islamic State resurgence

Villages in northern Iraq are at the mercy of militant attacks, as square-off between Kurdish and Iraqi national troops leaves security vacuum...

Kurdish region is a model in Iraq: US Ambassador

“I think we all admire what has happened here over the last 30 years in the Kurdish region,” he said during a panel at the Middle East Research Institute...

Lack of Kurdish-Iraqi cooperation led to ISIS attack: Peshmerga commander

A Peshmerga commander on Sunday said a security gap between Kurdish and Iraqi forces in the disputed territories is to blame for the killing of two of their...

Kurdistan Region’s Soran hosts first-ever Street Theatre Festival

The first-ever Street Theatre Festival began in the Kurdistan Region's Soran administration on Thursday morning, with theatre teams participating from across...

Ground broken for Armenian church in Iraqi Kurdistan

The ceremony was presided over by Primate of the Iraqi Diocese of the Armenian Church Archbishop Avag Asaturyan.

Resolution commemorating Operation Provide Comfort introduced in Senate

U.S. Senators Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.) and Marco Rubio (R-Fla.) introduced a resolution commemorating Operation Provide Comfort...

Kurdish leader calls for coexistence, government change in disputed Kirkuk

The President of Iraq's autonomous Kurdistan region, Nechirvan Barzani, called for "peaceful cooperation and coexistence" in the disputed city...

US Deputy Assistant Secretary says America is ‘strengthening’ Kurdistan

Jennifer Gavito, the US Deputy Assistant Secretary for Iran and Iraq, said that the US is in Iraq for the long-term, during a forum on Wednesday.

With houses and streets inundated, many left homeless by Erbil flood

Standing in the middle of a mud covered road, holding the lower part of his ankle-length dishdasha in his hand, Abdulwadud Abdulaziz looks at...

Archaeologists in Iraq find 2,700-year-old wine press

Archaeologists in Iraq revealed Sunday their discovery of a large-scale wine factory from the rule of the Assyrian kings 2,700 years ago, along with stunning...

Turkey resumes deforestation in Kurdistan Region: sources

Turkey has resumed cutting down trees in Duhok province months after they suspended the practice, according to local sources. Villagers have...

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