On Saturday, October 28, 2023, Prime Minister Masrour Barzani of the Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG) held discussions with Éric Chevalier, the Ambassador of France to Iraq.

The meeting covered recent developments in the wider region, bilateral relations and also delved into the imperative of upholding the constitutional rights and financial entitlements of the Kurdistan Region, especially in light of the KRG's submission of comprehensive data to the Iraqi government and the Finance Committee at the Iraqi parliament.

Both sides stressed the urgent need for the federal government to disburse the financial entitlements owed to the region, thereby preventing further encroachment on the rights of public sector employees in the area.

The talks also emphasised the vital importance of maintaining security and stability in Iraq and the Kurdistan Region, underscoring the need to protect diplomatic envoys and coalition forces.

https://gov.krd/english/government/the-prime-minister/activities/posts/2023/october/krg-prime-minister-meets-with-french-ambassador-to-iraq/

First and foremost a very warm welcome to all of you who have gathered tonight to celebrate the commencement ceremony of the Class of 2023 of the Catholic University of Erbil.

The ground we are standing on today is sacred in more ways than one. Not only is it the property of a Church and a campus that has provided a first rate education for youth from around our region.

It was also built on land that served as a sanctuary during some of the darkest times of our modern history. As Nineveh and Sinjar were embattled during the rampage of the Isis terror group, construction on this campus continued.

Christians, Yezidis, Kurds and Muslims flocked to this area, and all were received with grace and dignity. Erbil became a sanctuary for the dispossessed. Anyone who came here during those terrible years had a chance to start again.

The institution that stands before us now is a testament to resilience, yours and ours. Good prevailed over evil in this land, and today we are witnessing the results; a graduating class that can enter a workforce equipped and motivated to give back a place that has offered hope and opportunity.

I believe in the society that has been created here; a model of coexistence, where people of different faiths can prosper alongside each other. There are few other places in our region where this model has been so successful; where ancient faiths and customs flourish as an example to us all.

My government, and the previous administration offered bedrock security guarantees that have encouraged the best and brightest and their families to stay and seek lives here. I look at the audience in front of me with pride.

For all of you who are graduating, I congratulate you. To the families here to witness this occasion, I thank you for the support you have offered to your sons and daughters. University education is a team effort, and the roles that families play, the sacrifices they make is often overlooked. It isn’t today.

I also want to thank faculty and lecturers for putting your education above their personal needs. At times, I’m sure, their own lives, and families, will have taken a backseat in the pursuit of your advancement.
The sacrifices you have all made to get this graduation class to this day are all worth it.

There is no substitute for the accomplishments that stem from hard work. We are at our most fulfilled when we achieve a task that we commit ourselves to doing. Each of you now has the chance to fulfill paths that you committed yourselves to when you enrolled in this institution. The Catholic University of Erbil is the only university named as Catholic from Malaysia to Morocco.

Since 2015 it has served as a light on the hill for graduates that have given back to their communities. As well as serving as a centre of learning, it has been a place of regeneration and of certainty for the cradle of civilisation - the ancient plains of Nineveh, on which barbarians attempted to erase thousands of years of tradition and history.

They failed. You are part of a graduating year that will help consolidate the recovery.

My government will always prioritise education. As I told other graduating students this month, I am committed to empowering you with all the tools necessary to realise your full potential. In the past I have spoken about the Kurdistan Region becoming a knowledge nation. You are within your right to ask what that means for you graduates. I have been clear that our human capital is the greatest national asset we have, and in particular our youth.

I know you all have a voice; I know you are ambitious and see your peers from the region and beyond and believe you deserve a life of security and prosperity that is at least equal to them. Our mission is to ensure that happens. My priority is to bridge your aspirations with the tools and opportunities to do so. We have made important progress here, but this cannot happen through the government alone.

Each of you has a role to play too. You will have to prepare yourselves to engage in global questions. It is easy to be complacent; to feel that these issues do not affect you. But questions like climate change, water and food scarcity and poverty do not recognise borders; they touch everybody. And they affect you too. In Kurdistan’s near future you will have a voice in these debates, and you will be expected to present alternatives - to bring forth ideas, for example, in ways to safeguard the environment.

You will also be encouraged to play a role in investing in early education through technology and partnerships with research centres and the private sector.

Some of you here will no doubt go on to continue your education. Some of you will probably go on to start your own businesses and take on the next big ideas. Whatever you do, we will be here to back you, celebrate your success and advance your ideas. There are big expectations for your generation.

I encourage you to go beyond your forebears; the more that Kurdistan integrates regionally and connects to the global economy, as is our firm goal, the more we as a nation will need to compete. Your ideas, products and inventions will need to cater to the needs of people and businesses beyond Kurdistan. We will support you in these endeavours.

To the Class of 2023 you will go forth into the world with new friends and new understandings. I’m sure that everyone of you has learned from your peers about their traditions and cultures.

I am equally sure that you will leave this institution with respect for each other and a commitment to not let the mistakes of history repeat. Co-existence is not only possible, but vital. As Kurds, we have long held belief as central to the way that we live. My government is committed to offering protections to groups who do not have the means to protect themselves.

We will always be especially well disposed to communities who give back. Your contribution as part of our society will always be welcomed. I encourage you to embrace a broader community. Together we stand united, and this is a lesson that I would like you to leave with tonight. Your years of education have not only equipped you with skills for the workforce, but an understanding of how society can and should be organised.

Take these lessons forward with you. Each and everyone one of you now has the chance to make a contribution to the betterment of humanity.
Go forth and prosper. I am very proud of you all.

https://gov.krd/english/government/the-prime-minister/activities/posts/2023/october/prime-minister-barzani-s-speech-at-the-catholic-university-of-erbil-graduation/

On Sunday, November 5th, 2023, Prime Minister Masrour Barzani of the Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG) hosted a meeting with Saudi Arabia's Al-Ittihad Sports Club.

The meeting, which was also attended by Mohamad bin Suleman Al Oseri, Consul General of Saudi Arabia in the Kurdistan Region, saw the Prime Minister extend a warm welcome to the club's president, coaches, and players. He underlined the significant role of sports, not only in providing enjoyment and health benefits but also in fostering unity and reconciliation among nations by bringing people together.

In response, the president and players of Al-Ittihad Club expressed their delight at visiting the Kurdistan Region and conveyed their heartfelt appreciation for the warm welcome extended by the people of Erbil.

https://gov.krd/english/government/the-prime-minister/activities/posts/2023/november/krg-prime-minister-welcomes-al-ittihad-sports-club/

On Wednesday, November 1, 2023, Prime Minister Masrour Barzani of the Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG) held a meeting with Alina Romanowski, the US Ambassador to Iraq.

The meeting highlighted the critical importance of disbursing the Kurdistan Region's financial entitlements, especially in light of the comprehensive data and information provided by the KRG to the Iraqi government.

Additionally, both parties discussed the vital role of maintaining security and stability in Iraq, with a specific focus on safeguarding diplomatic missions and coalition forces in both Iraq and the Kurdistan Region.

https://gov.krd/english/government/the-prime-minister/activities/posts/2023/november/krg-prime-minister-meets-with-us-ambassador-to-iraq/

On Saturday, November 11, 2023, Prime Minister Masrour Barzani of the Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG) held a meeting with Stephen Hitchen, the United Kingdom's Ambassador to Iraq.

The discussions centered on the most recent political and security developments in the region, with both sides emphasising the critical importance of preserving Iraq's stability, security, and neutrality, while ensuring the safety of coalition forces and diplomatic missions within the country.

The importance of holding the Kurdistan Region's parliamentary elections as scheduled was also a key point in their discussions.

https://gov.krd/english/government/the-prime-minister/activities/posts/2023/november/krg-prime-minister-meets-with-british-ambassador/

KRG Prime Minister Welcomes Iraq’s Federal Prime Minister

On Thursday, November 9, 2023, Prime Minister Masrour Barzani of the Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG) welcomed Iraq’s Federal Prime Minister, Mohammed Shia' Al Sudani at Erbil International Airport.

https://gov.krd/english/government/the-prime-minister/activities/posts/2023/november/krg-prime-minister-welcomes-iraq-s-federal-prime-minister/

Erbil, Kurdistan Region, November 10, 2023

President Nechirvan Barzani held a meeting with Mr. Stephen Charles Hitchen, the United Kingdom’s Ambassador to Iraq, Friday evening. The focus of their discussion was on strengthening the relations between the UK and both Iraq and the Kurdistan Region. They also addressed Erbil-Baghdad relations and potential solutions to resolve outstanding issues. Additionally, the internal situation in the Kurdistan Region and the latest developments in the Middle East tensions were highlighted.

The President and the UK’s ambassador both expressed optimism about the recent meeting between the Kurdistan Democratic Party (KDP) and the Patriotic Union of Kurdistan (PUK). They emphasized the need to maintain the Erbil-Baghdad dialogue to find effective solutions. Furthermore, they referred to the visit of the Prime Minister of Iraq to the Kurdistan Region, which took place a day before the meeting.

 Another important topic of their conversation was the Middle East crisis and its potential impact. They agreed on the significance of preserving peace and stability in the region, with a particular emphasis on ensuring that Iraq does not become entangled in the conflict.

The security of coalition forces in Iraq, as well as the relations between Iraq and the Kurdistan Region with neighboring countries and the wider region, were also addressed during the meetin

https://presidency.gov.krd/en/president-nechirvan-barzani-meets-with-uk-ambassador-to-iraq/

Erbil, Kurdistan Region, November 9, 2023