Archive for year: 2021

Madrid, October 29, 2021

The exhibition “Wars and Refugees: 30 Years of the Great Kurdish Exodus” recalls, through four renowned photojournalists: José Luis Vidal Coy, Rafael Magaña, Alfredo Cáliz and Karlos Zurutuza, the events that occurred three decades ago in northern Iraq, when During the 1991 Gulf War, an entire town had to flee pursued by Saddam Hussein’s Army.

The exhibition will be inaugurated on November 10, 2021, at 6:00 p.m. in the La Corrala cultural center, with a round table with Manuel Martorell, a renowned Spanish journalist and historian, specialized in Kurdistan and with the participation of the Spanish Commission for Assistance to Refugee (CEAR), José Luis Vidal Coy, a reporter who covered the 1991 exodus and Rahim Kaderi, a Kurdish human rights activist. Moderator of the round table: Fernando Camacho Padilla, professor of contemporary history, UAM.
The event organized by the Autonomous University of Madrid (UAM) and the GRK office in Spain in collaboration with the Persian cultural center Persepolis. Free assistance until full capacity.

Erbil, Kurdistan Region, September 22, 2021

Kurdistan Region President received Mr. Pedro Martinez, the incoming Ambassador of Spain to Iraq, in Erbil on Wednesday.

President Nechirvan Barzani congratulated Mr. Martinez on assuming the office, wished him success and expressed full support for his new mission as Spain’s Ambassador to Iraq. The President also reiterated the Kurdistan Region’s willingness to expand relations with Spain and presented a brief overview of the status of the Kurdistan Region.

Ambassador Martinez hoped to strengthen Spain’s relations with Iraq and the Kurdistan Region in all areas, especially in trade and commerce, and pledged to encourage Spain’s private sector and businesses to invest in the country. The Ambassador commended the pace of reconstruction and progress in the Kurdistan Region.

Discussions also focused on Iraq’s future, the political process in the country, the latest developments in the war against terrorism and the threats of ISIS.

Erbil, Kurdistan Region, August 29, 2021

Kurdistan Region President Nechirvan Barzani, accompanied by Kurdistan Region Prime Minister, Mr. Masrour Barzani, and Kurdistan Region Speaker of Parliament, Ms. Rewaz Fayeq, received the President of France, Mr. Emmanuel Macron and his accompanying delegation, in Erbil on Sunday.

Discussions focused on latest developments in Iraq and the wider region, the Baghdad Cooperation and Partnership Summit, which was held in Iraq’s capital and was attended by President Macron and a number of regional and neighboring leaders.

Developing Kurdistan Region’s relations with France and areas of mutual cooperation, the dangers of terrorism and threats posed by ISIS and ways to confront it, upcoming Iraqi elections, the situation in Syria and the Kurdish question in the country were highlighted.

President Macron referred to the strong relations between France and the people of Kurdistan, and reiterated his country’s continuing support to the Kurdistan Region. Mr. Macron commended the Kurdistan Region, the role of the Peshmarga and President Masoud Barzani in defeating ISIS.

At the meeting, France’s continuing support to the Kurdistan Region was affirmed and the importance of cooperation and coordination with France and the international community were underlined in finding solutions to Iraq’s problems and resolving Erbil-Baghdad disputes. France’s constructive role and efforts to maintain peace and stability were highlighted.

The status of the refugees and the displaced people, the situation of religious and ethnic communities in the Kurdistan Region and Iraq, the importance of implementing the Shingal agreement, as well as efforts to help the refugees to return to their home areas were underlined.

The meeting was attended by the Kurdistan Region Vice Presidents and Deputy Prime Minister, a number of Kurdistan Region officials, head of Foreign Relations Department, Kurdistan Region Representative to France, as well as France’s Minister of Foreign Affairs, a number of diplomatic and military officials and advisers, France’s Ambassador to Baghdad and France’s Consul General in the Kurdistan Region.

Following their meeting, President Nechirvan Barzani and President Emmanuel Macron held a joint press conference. The following is a readout of the press conference.

Erbil, Kurdistan Region, Iraq (GOV.KRD) – The Kurdistan Regional Government on Tuesday released a statement commemorating the 7th anniversary of the Yazidi genocide in Shingal.

Full statement from the KRG:

“Today, seven years have passed since the massacre of Yazidis in Shingal and surrounding areas. This was conducted by ISIS terrorist group in a barbaric and inhuman way: killing and displacing thousands, and kidnapping many more.

“The KRG works seriously on recognizing the massacre as a genocide, and on bringing the perpetrators to justice. The KRG will also increase its efforts toward the return of displaced Yazidis to their homeland.

“On the anniversary of this tragedy, and with the help of its allies, the KRG will put in all effort to compensate the people of this region, and all victims of ISIS. The government will put everything into protecting this land, and the different ethnicities within it.

“This enormous and unjust crime against our nation will forever remain in our memories.”

Dr. Jotiar Adel
Spokesperson of Kurdistan Regional Government

Erbil, Kurdistan Region, Iraq (GOV.KRD) – The ninth cabinet of the Kurdistan Regional Government started 27 multisectoral projects from March 2020 to June 2021, as it reaches the 2nd anniversary since its foundation.

The KRG invested $332 million on housing projects, developed a $250 million wheat marketing project, distributed $2.56 billion worth of business licenses, and completed the MED steel factory in Erbil with a budget of $100 million.

Over 400,000 plants were distributed to farmers, and a $10 million food processing plant was constructed in Duhok as part of government efforts to promote local products.

The ninth cabinet commissioned a 100-bed hospital in Shiladze, and allocated $4 million USD to run three blood banks in the region. They further allocated $585,240 for an autism center in Erbil, $2.1 million as a bonus for health workers, and 1.6 billion dinars for cancer treatment hospitals.

The KRG launched the 150-meter road in Erbil, and relaunched the 100-meter highway project in Sulaimani after years of delay.

The 300 MW Khabat power plant and several new initiatives in Halabja were other projects of significance.