Archive for month: April, 2016

Erbil, Kurdistan Region (dfr.gov.krd) – Head of KRG Foreign Relations Minister Falah Mustafa yesterday met with United Nations Deputy High Commissioner for Human Rights, Ms. Kate Gilmore.

Deputy High Commissioner Gilmore praised the role of Kurdistan Region in protecting members of ethnic and religious minorities fleeing ISIS brutality and highlighted the degree of religious tolerance and peaceful coexistence in the region. She said that the UN would continue supporting Kurdistan in coping with such a large number of displaced people and refugees and in documenting the crimes committed against Ezidis and other ethnic and religious minorities.

Minister Mustafa thanked the Deputy High Commissioner for her statements of support and stressed that the KRG would continue cooperation with all UN agencies based in Kurdistan.

Erbil, Kurdistan Region, Iraq (cabinet.gov.krd) – Kurdistan Regional Government Prime Minister Nechirvan Barzani yesterday attended the launch ceremony for Erbil Governorate’s Provincial Development Strategy plan, which was held at Erbil’s historic citadel. 

In a speech during the ceremony, Prime Minister Barzani said, “The plan shows that the determination of Kurdish people for building a better future and for promoting coexistence and tolerance is stronger than the will of those who try to stop Kurdistan Region’s path to prosperity and growth.”

Following is the text of Prime Minister Barzani’s speech: 

Dear distinguished guests,
Good evening,

Please allow me to welcome Ms. Kate Gilmore, United Nations Deputy High Commissioner for Human Rights, Ms. Lisa Grande, Deputy Special Representative of the United Nations Assistance Mission for Iraq , Belgian Ambassador, Lebanese embassy’s Charge d’affairs to Iraq, and representatives of foreign countries and international organizations in Kurdistan Region.

I am pleased to be here with you all, in this spring evening  .In an important event for Erbil population, for all its components nationalities and religions, for the announcement of 2016-2018 strategic plan for development of Erbil governorate. I hope that the implementation of the strategic development plan will be completed within its timeframe so that Erbil will reach a higher level of prosperity and development, a level that will be in line with the rich history and culture of this ancient city.

The Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG) had previously announced the 2020 regional development strategy for the Kurdistan Region, It articulates the Kurdistan Regional Government’s  vision for the Kurdistan Region development and advancement to 2020. The regional plan was prepared in consultation with international experts and is divided into several stages. The plan that we are announcing today is within the framework of the KRG’s 2020 regional plan.

The government’s plan is very comprehensive; it takes into consideration the priorities of different stages so that we can bring about further development in sectors that are needed most. Although the fight against terror and financial crisis, and their outputs, have hindered the implementation of the plan, but, with the help of our friends in the international community the KRG is determined to continue the implementation of the regional development plan.

Despite all the difficulties facing our region, we are making concerted efforts to further develop Kurdistan and human being in this country. The will and determination of our people to build a better future is stronger than any challenges and difficulties.  I hope the same like  this announcement ceremony, that is going on right now in Erbil in its scheduled time, to develop similar plans for all cities and governorates of Kurdistan Region.

Dear Guests,

Right now we are in one of the oldest and most ancient sites in the world. For more than 6,000 years that life goes on here, which makes it the oldest continuously inhabited place in the world. This citadel was the first stage of life commencement in Erbil. The citadel has seen different stages throughout its history; it has been the home of many different religions and civilizations, and a place of religious tolerance and peaceful coexistence.

The city of Erbil and in particular the Citadel of Erbil was a home for numerous civilizations, empires, religions that predated the Abrahamic religions, synagogues, churches, and mosques. All these historical stages, has made the Citadel a very rich center of tolerance and coexistence of different religions and ethnicities in this city

The life style, the urban culture and the culture of tolerance and coexistence went beyond the boundaries of the fortress and had a positive impact on the way of life in the entire city of Erbil, because the citadel was the home of the elite, civilized and educated ones  and advanced classes, that is  why it has left the impact over the whole city, and the spread out of this culture to every where. This culture was the mystery and the main reason that life never stopped inside the citadel. Its because of this culture the citadel has become the symbol of Erbil locally and internationally.

In addition to being known for its culture of tolerance and coexistence, the decision of UNESCO World Heritage Center in mid 2014 to list Erbil as a world heritage site ,as the one of the global humanitarian landmarks, turned the citadel into a unique regional and middle eastern historical site. That was a great achievement for the people of Kurdistan Region in general and the people of Erbil in particular.

Dear guests,

Erbil, as the capital of the Kurdistan Region and as one of the most ancient cities in the world, has a great potential for development. Erbil is a mosaic of different religions and ethnicities and its known for religious tolerance and peaceful coexistence in Kurdistan and Iraq. The developments that Erbil witnessed in different sectors following the fall of the former regime, has turned the city into a regional as well as international hub. Therefore, we need to increase our focus on the implementation of the strategic development plan.

We are fully committed to developing all sectors of life in the Kurdistan Region. We have great objectives and we will continue our efforts to achieve them. At some points, due to some unexpected events that are out of our control we might face difficulties in implementing our plans. However, I would like to seize this opportunity to reassure the people of the Kurdistan Region and our friends that we will continue reconstruction process, nation building  ,the advancement and the development of country, life and human being in Kurdistan Region. We will do whatever it takes to provide better services for our people.

The announcement of the strategic plan for development of Erbil governorate during such a difficult time demonstrates that the will and determination of our people for life , progress, building, reconstruction and  for promoting tolerance and coexistence is way more stronger than the will of those fond of war, who try relentlessly, to stop our path to prosperity and growth.

A Kurdistan, which was built by the sacrifices of our ancestors from different religious and ethnic groups, is now being protected by the sacrifices of our brave Peshmerga forces, and will never cease its path to development and prosperity.

Please allow me to salute the martyrs of Kurdistan and to express my utmost appreciation for the heroic Peshmerga of Kurdistan who are defending the achievements of Kurdistan, universal values, coexistence, and human and humanity against the most brutal terrorist organization.

I would like to thank the organizers of this event, the UNDP, the European Union, the Governorate of Erbil, and the High Commission for Erbil Citadel Revitalization for the invitation. I appreciate the efforts made by the Ministry of Planning and Minister Ali Sindi on the strategic plan for development of Erbil governorate.

Also special thanks to Governor Mr. Nawzad Hadi for his effective leadership in running the affairs of the Erbil governorate and for playing a crucial role in the development projects of the governorate and all his aides .

Today marks the beginning of a New Year-The Red Wednesday -for our Ezidi sisters and brothers. I would like to congratulate them, to pay respect to all Ezidi martyrs and victims, and to assure them that we are continuing our efforts to free all of our Ezidi brothers and sister who are still in ISIS captivity. We are also making concerted efforts to mobilize international support for the recognition of Ezidi genocide. The Kurdistan Regional Government will do its utmost to rebuild their  liberated areas .

Thank you all.

Washington, DC, USA (cabinet.gov.krd) -‘The existential threat to Kurdistan is not a war with ISIS, nor the stress of housing 1.8 million internally displaced Iraqis and Syrian refugees, or even the political turmoil facing the country today. The existential threat facing Kurdistan today is the state of our economy,’ said Deputy Prime Minister of the Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG) Qubad Talabani during a visit to Washington this week.

He was speaking to a large audience at the Woodrow Wilson Center, where over 200 experts, government officials, and members of the media had gathered for an event titled, ‘From ISIS to Declining Oil Prices: Qubad Talabani on the Kurdistan Regional Government’s Challenges’.

‘We’re four months in salary arrears to our civil servants. We’re three months in salary arrears to our soldiers, who have been valiantly defending the front lines. We’ve suffered 1,400 causalities and have had 8,000 people injured. Anything that can weaken the frontline or potentially harm the morale of our troops is not only a danger to Kurdistan, but to Iraq, to the region, and the global war on ISIS.’

The Deputy Prime Minister was joined in Washington by a delegation of KRG officials including Minister of the Interior and Peshmerga Affairs Karim Sinjari, Head of the Department of Foreign Relations Minister Falah Mustafa Bakir, and KRG Representative to the United States Bayan Sami Abdul Rahman. The purpose of the delegation was to convey the severity of the financial crisis and need for immediate assistance to US administration officials, members of Congress, and the US media.

The delegation met with a number of senior administration and defense officials to discuss the range of challenges current facing the people of Kurdistan.

On Friday the delegation met with Deputy Assistant Secretary of State Antony Blinken to discuss a range of issues currently facing the Kurdistan Region. Deputy Prime Minister Talabani highlighted the economic and financial crisis in Kurdistan, emphasizing that the inability to pay frontline Peshmerga soldiers and the 1.4 million employees, pensioners, and disabled people on KRG’s payroll was having tangible effect on the war against ISIS.

Deputy Prime Minister Talabani and delegation were at the Pentagon to meet with the Undersecretary of Defense for Policy Christine Wormuth. They thanked the US for providing critical military and air support to Peshmerga forces, emphasizing the importance of the Peshmerga brigades the US is currently training and equipping. They underscored the need for continued weapons, ammunition and equipment support, particularly as the front lines are experiencing shortages of critical materials.

At the White House, the delegation met with senior advisors and staff of the National Security Council and Office of the Vice President. They discussed the global strategy to defeat ISIS, highlighting the economic, humanitarian, and military components of the future liberation of Mosul.
Throughout the week they conducted a number of additional meetings with officials from the State Department, Treasury Department, and Pentagon.

The delegation also held several meetings with top officials from international financial institutions the World Bank Group and the International Monetary Fund to discuss the need for emergency financial support for the KRG.

With tens of thousands of Peshmerga troops stationed along a 650-mile front line against ISIS and displaced people from Iraq and Syria accounting for a 30% increase in population, the KRG’s operating expenses have exploded dramatically. Compounded by a crash in oil prices, the KRG has been left with a $100 million per month deficit, even after austerity measures cut this figure down from $400 million per month.

Throughout the week, the Deputy Prime Minster and delegation had met with a number of leading members of Congress from key Congressional committees. Following their meetings, on Thursday US Representatives Ileana Ros-Lehtinen and Brad Sherman introduced House Resolution 682 urging the State Department to provide necessary equipment and training to the men and women of the Peshmerga.

The Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Interior and Peshmerga delivered remarks and answered questions from a group of American journalists at the KRG Representation on Friday. ’You can’t win a war bankrupt,’ said Mr Talabani. ‘We need more help from the United States and international community.’

Earlier in the week, all members of the delegation addressed a diverse audience of Middle East experts and members of different ethnic and religious communities at a symposium on coexistence, tolerance and stability hosted by the Institute for Global Engagement and KRG Representation in the United States.

Deputy Prime Minister Qubad Talabani said, ‘The KRG needs support from the global community to continue to provide a safehaven for religious and ethnic minorities, and to help stop the cycle of violence and extremism that has plagued Iraq for years.

Minister Sinjari said, ‘Stabilizing and reestablishing services to the people, as well as supporting livelihood development is necessary for future stability and prosperity of the region.’

Minister Bakir said, ‘”Inclusive education is key to the reconstruction and stability in Iraq.’ He added that, ‘There is no future in Iraq for anyone if they seek revenge and not reconciliation’.

Representative Abdul Rahman said, ‘In 1991, Operation Provide Comfort was tremendously successful in preventing the deaths of some 2 million Kurds who had fled Saddam. Today, the crisis caused by ISIS requires a similar response.
At a hotel in Fairfax over the weekend, Virginia, Deputy Prime Minister Talabani briefed members of the Kurdish-American community on the current situation inside Kurdistan and the outcomes of his trip to Washington.

Erbil, Kurdistan Region, Iraq (cabinet.gov.krd) – Prime Minister Nechirvan Barzani yesterday received France’s Defence Minister Jean-Yves Le Drian and his accompanying delegation.

Acknowledging that France faced the same enemy, Minister Le Drian reaffirmed France’s support to the Peshmerga Forces, praising their role in the war against the Islamic State terrorist organisation, ISIS.

Prime Minister Barzani and Minister Le Drian discussed the latest developments in the Kurdistan Region and Iraq and the war against ISIS, including the anticipated liberation of the City of Mosul. They agreed on the significance of the liberation of Mosul and that coordination among Peshmerga, Iraqi army, and coalition forces was vital in this operation. Prime Minister Barzani stressed that the plan must clearly define the roles of each of the participating forces.

They also discussed the military and financial needs of the Peshmerga Forces. Prime Minister Barzani stressed the need for the Federal Government of Iraq to provide military and financial aid to the Peshmerga. He called on France to help ensure that Iraqi Kurdistan receives its full share of international military assistance in a timely manner.

Minister Le Drian promised to convey this request to French President Francois Hollande and international partners. He also stated that in June another batch of French military aid will be delivered to Iraqi Kurdistan.

The Kurdistan Regional Government’s efforts to obtain financial aid, the plight of refugees and internally displaced persons, the need for Iraqi and international humanitarian aid, relations between Erbil and Baghdad, Iraqi Kurdistan’s relations with neighboring countries, and a number of other issues of common concern were also discussed.