Washington, D.C. (us.gov.krd) — On February 5-9, 2024, a senior delegation representing the President of the Kurdistan Region visited Washington D.C. for a series of high-level meetings with U.S. government officials, members of Congress, and policy advisors at various think tank. The delegation was led by Minister Fawzi Hariri, Chief of Staff to President Nechirvan Barzani, and included Special Assistant to the President for Foreign Policy Falah Mustafa and the Head of Foreign Affairs and Diplomacy Niyaz Barzani.

During the week-long visit, the delegation met with officials from the US Department of Defense, including Celeste Wallander, the US Assistant Secretary of Defense for International Security Affairs, and Daniel Shapiro, the Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense for Middle East Policy. They emphasized the need for ongoing cooperation imperative with US-Iraq security endeavors, progressing Peshmerga reforms, and fostering regional stability.

Continuing their diplomatic outreach, the Kurdistan Region Presidency delegation met with Amos Hochstein, Senior Advisor to President Biden for Energy and Investment at the White House. At the State Department, they had productive meetings with the Under Secretary of State for Civil Security, Democracy, and Human Rights Uzra Zeya and the Deputy Assistant Secretary of State for Iraq and Iran Victoria Taylor. Discussions centered on the importance of resuming oil exports, Erbil-Baghdad relations, and protecting Kurdistan’s ethnic and religious components.

The delegation also engaged with several Members of Congress, including leaders of the American Kurdish Congressional Caucus, Chairman Mike Rogers and Ranking Member Adam Smith of the House Armed Services Committee, Chairman Mike Turner of the House Intelligence Committee, Chairman Mike Turner (OH) , Congressman Jim Barid (IN), as well as Senators Joe Manchin (WV), Chris Van Hollen (MD), Joni Ernst (IA), Markwayne Mullin (OK), Bill Hagerty (TN), and Ted Budd (NC). Minister Hariri thanked Congress for its ongoing support to the Kurdish people.

In addition to engaging with policymakers, the delegation met with various experts in the think tank community, including a roundtable exchange at the Washington Institute, to discuss ongoing developments in the region.

The US Chamber of Commerce hosted a dinner for the delegation to engage with the business community. The delegation expressed profound gratitude for the warm reception and reiterated the government’s commitment to private sector growth and bilateral commercial relations.