Washington DC, USA (http://us.gov.krd) – Minister Rebar Ahmed met with several members of the US Congress during his visit to Washington in June, including leaders of the House Armed Services Committee and of the Kurdish American Congressional Caucus.

Minister Ahmed was accompanied by KRG Representative to the United States Bayan Sami Abdul Rahman. In all the meetings, the Minister thanked the US Congress for its support to the peshmerga forces, especially in the fight against ISIS terrorists and for the peshmerga reform program. The Minister also outlined the improved relationship between the KRG and the Iraqi federal cabinet, despite challenges on the resumption of oil exports from Kurdistan. Kurdistan’s oil exports were halted in March and have yet to resume, although there was an agreement between the KRG Prime Minister, Masrour Barzani, and Iraqi Prime Minister Mohammed Al-Sudani.

On June 13, 2023, Minister Ahmed met with Congressman Mike Rogers, Chairman of the House Armed Services Committee, and on June 15, he met with Ranking Member Adam Smith. In both meetings, he raised the security and humanitarian challenges that face Kurdistan and Iraq and the cooperation over the years between American and Kurdish forces.

The KRG Minister also met with Congressmen Michael Waltz and Chris Stewart, co-chairs of the Kurdish American Congressional Caucus; caucus members Congresswoman Elissa Slotkin of Michigan, who visited Kurdistan last year, and Congressman Don Bacon of Nebraska. He also met with Representative French Hill of Arizona and Congressman Mario Diaz-Balart of Florida.

Minister Ahmed invited members of Congress to visit the Kurdistan Region and thanked those in the Kurdish American caucus for their interest in and support to Kurdistan.