Relations with Baghdad
The Kurdistan Region seeks to develop the best possible relations with the Iraqi federal government. The KRG believes that any outstanding issues, or any new disagreements that may emerge, should be resolved within the framework of the Iraqi Constitution. Close cooperation between the institutions of the Kurdistan Region and the federal government is essential to a stable and prosperous Iraq. The major Kurdish parties have supported the formation of successive Iraqi governments since the removal of Baath regime and will continue to participate in the national affairs of Iraq so long as our rights and freedoms are protected by the constitutional order.
The Executive Office of the Head of the Department of Foreign Relations directly coordinates with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Baghdad and with the Iraqi embassies abroad, continuously working to strengthen this relationship, cooperating in the areas of visiting foreign delegations, international training programmes for diplomats, Iraqi activities at the United Nations and many other important projects.
Foreign Affairs
First, as members of a federal Iraq, the KRG is committed to Iraq’s foreign policy. The Kurdistan Region takes part in the formation and implementation of this policy both through its participation in the federal government and through the work of its citizens in the Iraqi Ministry of Foreign Affairs and in Iraq’s embassies around the world.
In addition to these efforts, the Iraqi constitution guarantees the right of the Kurdistan Region to continue its practice of maintaining representative offices abroad in order to promote its economic, cultural and educational interests.
Accordingly, the KRG aspires to maintain international relationships based on mutual understanding and respect. The KRG believes violence is never the solution to political problems; rather, it holds that peaceful and democratic means should be pursued by all sides to resolve any disputed issues.
The KRG promotes cultural, educational, business, investment and trade relations with all of its friends abroad.
KRG representations overseas
Some countries are of particular importance to the KRG because of its longstanding relationship with them, because of their political and economic status, or because a significant portion of the Kurdish diaspora resides within their borders. The primary responsibilities of these representative offices revolves around promoting international awareness and interest in Regional politics, culture, economics, education, and business and investment opportunities. Additionally, given the large number of Iraqi Kurds living abroad, the KRG representative offices also assist with some legal services such as the ratification and authentication of documents belonging to members of our diaspora overseas, for use within the Kurdistan Region, in coordination with the Iraqi Ministry of Foreign Affairs. The KRG representative can also grant power of attorney and assist in helping people of the Kurdistan Region living abroad to obtain legal counsel in the Region.
To see a list of the KRG’s offices abroad, please click here.
Foreign Investment and Trade
The KRG strongly supports international business, investment and trade in the Kurdistan Region, and the government maintains a very liberal investment law that reflects its general openness toward the international community. The Region has sustained impressive economic growth since the fall of the former regime in 2003 as it rebuilds from the ashes of decades of war and repression, and thousands of international businesses have already taken advantage of the numerous opportunities that exist in the Region.
The Department of Foreign Relations works hard to support international businesses through assisting them in communicating with the various institutions of the Regional government, directing them to resources related to their endeavors, and through promoting regional and international conferences and events designed to encourage business and investment in the Kurdistan Region.
Security of the Kurdistan Region
While the rest of Iraq has seen a high level of violence and terrorism in the past few years, the Kurdistan Region has remained peaceful and stable. This is first and foremost thanks to the vigilance and cooperation of the people of the Kurdistan Region and to the Region’s security services who have worked hard to prevent and eradicate terrorist cells and their operations in the Region. In spite of the Region’s close proximity to areas where terrorists operate almost daily with impunity, the people and security services of the Kurdistan Region have been successful in combating terrorist groups for years and have thwarted all but a few attempts to undermine this Region’s security.
There has not been a single Western or coalition casualty due to violence or terrorism in the Kurdistan Region since the fall of the former regime in 2003.
Kurds in other Countries
The KRG values the struggle of the Kurdish people living in the neighboring countries of the Kurdistan Region. However, the Kurdistan Region, based on its own experience, is convinced that the best approach to obtain cultural and political rights for the Kurds in those countries is through peaceful and democratic means.
While the Region pursues a policy of non-interference in the internal affairs of neighboring countries, it is willing to work with all Kurdish parties in the neighboring states to pursue peaceful resolutions of their conflicts.
Iraqi Kurdish asylum seekers in Europe and abroad
The KRG has always welcomed the return of Iraqi Kurds living abroad by their own free will; those who are ready and willing to return are encouraged to come and be a part of the rebuilding process of their country. It is understood that many of these people have lost everything that they own in order to start a new life abroad, and the KRG has worked hard to communicate their situation to the countries involved.
The KRG maintains that this is a humanitarian issue first and foremost, and consequently has requested that the suffering of these people be considered when their host countries make policies that affect them; rather than politicizing their struggles. The KRG has requested that these individuals be able to decide for themselves regarding their preferred country of residence. The KRG has not been, and will not be, a part of any private or public agreement that will disadvantage its people whether they live in the Kurdistan Region of Iraq or abroad.
However, it is important to recognize that each nation has its own laws and interests to protect regarding immigration, and each nation ultimately has to make its own decisions regarding those laws and interests. Regardless of what decisions are made, the people of the Kurdistan Region will always be ready to do what they can to assist any forced returnees as they make the transition back to living in the Region.