Kurdistan: the Glorious Past and the Exciting Future

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PM Barzani Celebrates Youth

at Graduation Ceremony

ERBIL (Kurdistan24) – Kurdistan Region Prime Minister Masrour Barzani delivered a keynote address on Sunday during the graduation ceremony for the Class of 2025 at the American University of Kurdistan (AUK) in Duhok, congratulating students and highlighting the government’s ongoing transformation agenda

Addressing students, faculty, families, and dignitaries, Barzani described the graduation not merely as a celebration of academic achievement, but as a turning point in the lives of young leaders poised to shape the future of Kurdistan.

“As Chairman of the Board of Trustees and Prime Minister, I am proud to stand before you on this significant day,” Barzani said. “You are the architects of Kurdistan’s future—armed with knowledge, values, and a sense of purpose.”

Barzani emphasized the university’s role as a launch pad for innovation, civic service, and leadership. He praised AUK for nurturing values such as critical thinking, integrity, and collaboration, noting that these qualities are essential to building a stronger society.

A Vision for a Resilient and Innovative Kurdistan

During his speech, the Prime Minister outlined the Kurdistan Regional Government’s (KRG) sweeping reforms across sectors, including infrastructure, energy, finance, education, and healthcare. He pointed to the region’s strategic shift towards economic diversification and self-reliance.

“During my recent visit to the United States, we secured landmark agreements with major American energy companies,” he said. “These deals will drive investment, create high-quality jobs, and empower a new generation—people like you.”

Barzani underscored the importance of building a post-oil economy, highlighting progress in agriculture, banking, and technology. He mentioned key initiatives such as the Runaki project, aimed at stabilizing the electricity supply, and the MyAccount initiative, which is transforming financial access and accountability across the region.

Commitment to Healthcare and Education

The Prime Minister marked a historic milestone with the graduation of AUK’s first cohort of nursing students, all of whom were supported by full scholarships. He emphasized the importance of a robust, internationally aligned healthcare system and pledged continued investment in healthcare training and infrastructure.

“Today’s nursing graduates symbolize more than academic success—they represent our hope for a healthier, more vibrant Kurdistan,” he said.

In the education sector, Barzani reaffirmed his government’s dedication to reform, announcing ongoing efforts to enhance quality assurance, governance, and autonomy in academic institutions.

“Our goal is to build a ‘Knowledge Nation’ where lifelong learning, excellence, and equal opportunity are the standard,” he said.

A Call to Serve

The Prime Minister concluded his address with a heartfelt message to the graduates, encouraging them to remain connected to their roots while exploring opportunities globally.

“Be fearless in your ambitions but remain grounded in the values that brought you here,” he said. “Kurdistan needs your energy, your innovation, and your leadership—just as we have relied on generations of Peshmerga and public servants who came before you.”

Barzani’s speech was met with standing applause from graduates and attendees, marking an inspiring conclusion to the Class of 2025’s academic journey.

https://www.kurdistan24.net/en/story/84 ... n-ceremony

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Kurdistan Marks Eight Years Since Decision
to Hold Independence Referendum

ERBIL (Kurdistan24) – Saturday marks eight years since Kurdish political leaders formally set the date for the Kurdistan Region’s historic independence referendum, which was held on Sept. 25, 2017. The decision, endorsed during a pivotal meeting on June 7, 2017, in Pirmam, remains a milestone in the Kurdish national movement

Chaired by President Masoud Barzani, the meeting brought together senior figures, including the then Prime Minister, Deputy President of the Kurdistan Region, and the head of the Kurdistan High Election and Referendum Commission. Representatives from major Kurdish political parties, including the Kurdistan Democratic Party (KDP), the Patriotic Union of Kurdistan (PUK), Kurdistan Islamic Union, Kurdistan Islamic Movement, Kurdistan Toilers’ Party, the Communist Party, representatives of ethnic and religious communities of Kurdistan, and other entities, also participated.

The assembly unanimously agreed to hold a referendum on Kurdish independence on Sept. 25, 2017. This date was later ratified by the Kurdistan Parliament on Sept. 15 of the same year, granting full legal and institutional backing to the process.

The vote took place amid widespread public support. Out of more than 4.5 million eligible voters across Kurdistan Region and the Kurdistani territories outside the KRG's control, more than 3.3 million participated, a turnout exceeding 72 percent. Of those, over 92 percent voted in favor of independence

Referendum organizers framed the vote as a legal and peaceful expression of the Kurdish people’s right to self-determination. The decision followed years of failed negotiations with Baghdad, broken promises, and systematic violations of Kurdish rights. Despite repeated attempts to secure constitutional guarantees within a federal Iraq, Kurdish officials argued that Baghdad had persistently undermined the agreed framework.

President Barzani and other Kurdish leaders emphasized that the referendum was the culmination of a long struggle marked by suffering, including genocide campaigns such as Anfal, mass displacement, and the use of chemical weapons against innocent civilians. The vote, they insisted, was a legitimate response to Iraq’s failure to uphold power-sharing and constitutional commitments.

However, just weeks after the vote, on Oct. 16, 2017, Iraqi forces launched a military offensive on Kirkuk and other Kurdistan territories. The operation, carried out with the support of Iran-backed militias and in coordination with some Kurdish actors including Bafel Talabani, led to the withdrawal of Peshmerga forces, casualties among Kurdish Peshmerga fighters, and the displacement of tens of thousands of civilians from their ancestral homes

In the aftermath, Kurdish leaders defended the referendum as a moral and historical necessity. While acknowledging the political costs, they argued that it reaffirmed Kurdish unity and internationalized the Kurdish question.

The referendum remains a watershed moment in contemporary Kurdish political history, widely commemorated each year as a symbol of national aspiration and defiance against decades of marginalization.

https://www.kurdistan24.net/en/story/84 ... referendum

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Iraqi Government Does Not
Believe in Constitution

A Kurdish lawmaker has accused successive Iraqi governments of deliberately creating obstacles for the Kurdistan Region by ignoring constitutional obligations and using political pretexts to block the Region’s rights

Vian Dakhil, a member of the Iraqi Parliament and spokesperson for the Kurdistan Democratic Party (KDP) faction, told Kurdistan 24 on Sunday that every government in Baghdad has caused issues for Kurdistan, despite having helped draft the Iraqi constitution after the fall of the former regime.

“Every government that comes to power in Baghdad knows exactly what the Iraqi constitution says—they participated in writing it,” Dakhil said. “But when it comes to the rights of the Kurdistan Region, they pretend to know nothing about it.”

She stressed that Baghdad’s actions are not due to a lack of understanding of federalism but a refusal to respect constitutional provisions—particularly Article 117, which recognizes the Kurdistan Region as a constitutional region with its own government and parliament

Dakhil said that disputes between Erbil and Baghdad have been ongoing for years.

“Not a single year has passed without problems. We reach a certain point in negotiations, and then they create new issues—whether through political speeches or fabricated complications in the ministries of finance or natural resources,” she noted.

She explained that the KDP’s agreements with any incoming Baghdad government contain 12 fixed and clear points, covering critical issues like the oil and gas law and the Kurdistan Region’s share of the federal budget. However, Baghdad consistently avoids implementation.

“The Kurdistan Region has submitted all its files transparently, but Baghdad always finds a new pretext,” she added. “Cutting salaries under the claim that Kurdistan has received its full budget is a major mistake, with no legal or factual basis.”

The remarks come amid heightened tensions between Erbil and Baghdad over delayed salary payments and financial entitlements, with Kurdish officials warning that Baghdad’s actions risk deepening mistrust and destabilizing the federal system.

https://www.basnews.com/en/babat/885816