Latest News from Rudaw Net
Rudaw Net
3 days ago
- Business
- Rudaw Net
US senators meet with Iraqi, Kurdistan leaders
Also in Kurdistan $73 million in development projects approved for Halabja province Kurdistan people's livelihood not a tool for political leverage: KDP leader Rwanga plants 20,000 olive saplings in Erbil President Barzani says Erbil wants stronger ties with Japan A+ A- ERBIL, Kurdistan Region - Two United States senators met separately with Kurdistan Region President Nechirvan Barzani and Iraqi Prime Minister Mohammed Shia al-Sudani on Saturday. 'President Nechirvan Barzani welcomed Mr. Angus King, an Independent Senator from Maine, along with Mr. James Lankford, a Republican Senator from Oklahoma, and their accompanying delegation,' a statement from the Kurdistan Region Presidency said. Counterterrorism cooperation and Erbil-Baghdad relations were discussed, as well as the situation in Syria and broader regional developments. 'The potential for US job creation and investment opportunities in both Iraq and the Kurdistan Region' was also discussed, the statement added. The visit came on the heels of two major energy contracts signed this week between the Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG) and US-based HKN Energy and WesternZagros, valued at a combined $110 billion in their lifetimes. They were signed in the presence of Kurdistan Region Prime Minister Masrour Barzani who was on a trip to Washington where he met with several American officials, including Secretary of State Marco Rubio. Baghdad has rejected the energy contracts as illegal and the Iraqi oil ministry said that all partnerships must go through the federal government. PM Barzani called on the Iraqi government to reconsider its opposition, arguing the agreements will benefit all of Iraq. In his meeting with the American senators in Baghdad, Iraqi PM Sudani 'emphasized the importance of bilateral relations with the United States and Iraq's aspiration to further develop and strengthen them across various fields - particularly in the sectors of economy, energy, investment, and culture - within the Iraq-US Strategic Framework Agreement,' said a statement from his office, referring to the broad agreement that guides US-Iraq relations. Sudani said that the government has made major strides in the oil and gas sector, paving the way for increased cooperation and investment from US companies.
Rudaw Net
3 days ago
- Business
- Rudaw Net
Kurdistan people's livelihood not a tool for political leverage: KDP leader
Also in Kurdistan $73 million in development projects approved for Halabja province Rwanga plants 20,000 olive saplings in Erbil President Barzani says Erbil wants stronger ties with Japan US senators meet with Iraqi, Kurdistan leaders A+ A- ERBIL, Kurdistan Region - Preeminent Kurdish leader and head of the Kurdistan Democratic Party (KDP), Masoud Barzani, on Sunday indicated that political disagreements between Erbil and Baghdad must not come at the expense of people's livelihoods, reiterating his firm rejection of using public employee salaries as a political tool against the Kurdistan Region. Speaking during a meeting with tribal leaders and dignitaries from federal Iraq at the KDP's headquarters in Pirmam, northeast of Erbil, he stated, 'The livelihood of citizens cannot be politicized, nor can daily bread be used as a weapon against the people of Kurdistan,' according to a statement from his office. The KDP's topmost senior official stressed that effective governance in Iraq depends on implementing the constitution and upholding the principles of balance, consensus, and partnership. Relations between Erbil and Baghdad have been strained for over a decade, beginning in late 2013 when disputes over budget allocations led the federal government to cut the Kurdistan Region's share of the federal budget in February 2014. In response, Erbil began independently exporting crude oil via Turkey's Ceyhan port to generate revenue. The unpaid salaries crisis facing Kurdistan Region civil servants worsened in 2023 after a Paris-based arbitration court ruled in favor of Baghdad, finding that Ankara had breached a 1973 pipeline agreement by permitting Erbil's independent oil exports. This ruling led to a suspension of Kurdish oil exports, deepening the Region's budget shortfalls and delaying salary payments. In his Sunday meeting, the preeminent Kurdish leader emphasized that the Kurdish people's grievances are with successive governments in Baghdad, not with the peoples and communities of Iraq. 'The long-standing issues between the people of Kurdistan and the federal government do not equate to conflict with the people of Iraq,' he said. 'The failed policies of those governments cannot damage the fabric of intercommunal relations. We want all of Iraq to prosper, to be rebuilt, and for the dignity of all citizens to be protected.' This is not the first time the preeminent Kurdish leader has voiced strong criticism of Baghdad's approach toward the Kurdistan Region in recent weeks. Speaking at a KDP gathering in Erbil earlier this month, he called the delayed payment of salaries to KRG civil servants 'unacceptable' and urged the federal government to treat the Region in accordance with Iraq's federal constitution. 'The way that they [Baghdad] have treated civil servants in previous months is completely unacceptable,' he said, adding, 'I see this as an insult to the martyrs, to the struggles of the Kurdish people, and to this nation's history.' The KDP leader further criticized Baghdad for dealing with the Kurdistan Region in a centralized and non-federal manner. He also criticized what he described as Baghdad's centralized approach, saying, 'If federalism no longer exists, they should tell us. Because the current treatment of the Kurdistan Region does not reflect a federal relationship.' The preeminent Kurdish leader lamented, 'It seems as if Kurds are foreigners in this country.'
Rudaw Net
3 days ago
- Politics
- Rudaw Net
$73 million in development projects approved for Halabja province
Also in Kurdistan Kurdistan people's livelihood not a tool for political leverage: KDP leader Rwanga plants 20,000 olive saplings in Erbil President Barzani says Erbil wants stronger ties with Japan US senators meet with Iraqi, Kurdistan leaders A+ A- ERBIL, Kurdistan Region - The Kurdistan Region's Council of Ministers on Sunday granted approval for nine major development projects in Halabja province, valued at approximately 96.65 billion Iraqi dinars ($73.3 million), including the construction of a free trade zone, multiple infrastructure upgrades, and a new provincial building. The decision followed a meeting between Halabja Governor Nuxsha Nasih and Omed Sabah, head of the Council of Ministers' Presidency Office. Commenting on the decision on her Facebook page, Nasih described the projects as 'necessary' to 'better serve citizens.' The projects include several road projects worth around 50.9 billion Iraqi dinars ($38.8 million), a combined road and sewerage project worth 14.4 billion Iraqi dinars ($10.9 million), and a memorial construction project budgeted at $16.3 million. An additional 10 billion dinars ($7.6 million) was allocated to support border departments, including bulldozers, loaders, trucks, excavators, road rollers, water tankers, shovels, bobcats, graders, and trailers. In April, Iraq's parliament officially recognized Halabja as the country's 19th province and the Kurdistan Region's fourth, passing a long-awaited bill during a session attended by 178 of the 329 lawmakers. The Iraqi Council of Ministers had initially approved Halabja's status change in December 2013, separating it from Sulaimani province, but political disputes delayed the formalization for over a decade. Halabja stands out as a potent symbol of Kurdish resilience. On March 16, 1988, near the end of the eight-year Iran-Iraq War, the forces of toppled Iraqi dictator Saddam Hussein bombed Halabja with chemical weapons. The gruesome attack claimed the lives of at least 5,000 people - mostly women and children - and injured thousands more. Of note, the Halabja chemical attack was part of the Baath regime's broader Anfal campaign in which more than 182,000 Kurds were killed.
Rudaw Net
3 days ago
- Business
- Rudaw Net
President Barzani says Erbil wants stronger ties with Japan
Also in Kurdistan $73 million in development projects approved for Halabja province Kurdistan people's livelihood not a tool for political leverage: KDP leader Rwanga plants 20,000 olive saplings in Erbil US senators meet with Iraqi, Kurdistan leaders A+ A- ERBIL, Kurdistan Region - Kurdistan Region President Nechirvan Barzani on Sunday received Hitoshi Ishizuka, the new head of Japan's consular office in Erbil, to discuss enhancing ties with Tokyo and investment opportunities. 'The President conveyed the Kurdistan Region's desire to enhance ties with Japan, emphasizing opportunities for Japanese employment and investment in both Iraq and the Kurdistan Region. He also expressed appreciation to Japan for its aid and support in Iraq and the Kurdistan Region,' said a statement from the Kurdistan Region Presidency. In the meeting, Ishizuka said that Japan 'places significant value' on enhancing its relationship with Iraq and the Kurdistan Region, and provided an overview of a set of initiatives that Japanese companies have taken in the Kurdistan Region, according to the statement. In November, former Japanese ambassador to Iraq Futoshi Matsumoto said that Tokyo has taken 'significant steps' to strengthen its bilateral relations with Erbil, especially through establishing ties between Kurdish and Japanese companies. 'These relationships have resulted in positive developments, and now there is real and direct business being conducted. Step by step, we are seeing improvements in our relationships until we reach the larger goal,' Matsumoto said at the time.
Rudaw Net
3 days ago
- Business
- Rudaw Net
Rwanga plants 20,000 olive saplings in Erbil
Also in Kurdistan $73 million in development projects approved for Halabja province Kurdistan people's livelihood not a tool for political leverage: KDP leader President Barzani says Erbil wants stronger ties with Japan US senators meet with Iraqi, Kurdistan leaders A+ A- ERBIL, Kurdistan Region - The Rwanga Foundation on Sunday completed an initiative to plant 20,000 Spanish olive saplings in Erbil to promote environmental sustainability, in partnership with the German development agency (GIZ) and the agriculture ministry. 'We concluded the project of planting 20,000 Spanish olive saplings, which our institution, the Rwanga Foundation, undertook in partnership with GIZ and with the support of the German government and the agriculture ministry,' said Hassan Shekh Aladin, Rwanga's executive director, in a speech at the conclusion event. In 2023, Rwanga partnered with GIZ to implement development projects that created 250 job opportunities and supported 130 individuals in launching or expanding small businesses. The second goal of the partnership was to plant 20,000 Spanish olive saplings as part of an environmental sustainability initiative. 'We were able to complete the project within two years,' Aladin said, adding that 11,000 saplings were provided by GIZ. 'To complete the project comprehensively and fully, we had 9,000 saplings remaining. Thanks to the responsibility of the respected Idris Nechirvan Barzani, the other 9,000 saplings were also provided. Now we see that 20,000 olive trees have been planted here,' he stated. The planted trees can produce over 4 million liters of oxygen daily, enough for 9,000 people, and are expected to yield 120 tons of olive oil and 400 tons of olives annually, with the Spanish variety chosen for its faster two-year production cycle compared to Iraqi trees, according to Aladin. Agriculture Minister Begard Talabani hailed the project, saying that the trees will bring economic benefits and are also resistant to drought seasons. 'Instead of planting a tree only to give us oxygen and reduce the amount of carbon dioxide, we want to develop those trees that have both economic benefit and can also withstand water scarcity during drought periods,' Talabani said at the event. Talabani explained that the project was established in a forested area that has served as a green belt for Erbil for over 30 years, expressing hope that, with support from all relevant Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG) bodies, the area can be protected and developed as the "lungs of Erbil." The Rwanga Foundation is an NGO 'that envisages a world where quality education is accessible for all. Its mission is to provide services, build capacities, and design policies to ensure easy access to education for all and improve the overall educational standards in KRI [Kurdistan Region of Iraq], Iraq, and the greater global community,' according to the organization's website.
