Wednesday 31 March 2021

Kurdistan envoy meets with State Department’s Acting Director of Iraq Desk



Washington, DC, USA (us.gov.krd) – Representative Bayan Sami Abdul Rahman, on Tuesday, March 30, 2021, met virtually with Ian Hopper, the Acting Director of the Iraq Desk at the US Department of State. Ms. Abdul Rahman and Mr. Hopper discussed the next round of the US Iraq strategic dialogue, which is set to take place virtually next week.

The strategic dialogue began last year and was conducted in line with the Strategic Framework Agreement between the two countries. Officials from the Kurdistan Regional Government took part in last year’s dialogue which included discussions on economic, political, cultural, and security affairs.

The KRG Representative and Mr. Hopper also discussed the 30th anniversary of Operation Provide Comfort, the military humanitarian operation that saved hundreds of thousands of Kurdish lives in 1991 when the US, UK, and France stepped in to protect the Kurds from Saddam Hussein’s regime.

The KRG intends to commemorate the 30th anniversary with various events this year in recognition of the operation and to thank the three countries that protected Kurdistan and enabled the region to begin to rebuild and eventually thrive.