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Kurdistan Parliament Deputy Speaker Hemin Hawrami on 27 September said that Iraq and Kurdistan Region can together act as a bridge between different state and non-state actors in the Middle East, and help to promote regional convergence. He also said that Baghdad and Kurdistan Region have reached a good understanding in their talks on pending issues. He made the speech at the Al Rafidain Center for Dialogue’s Economic and Security Forum in Baghdad.

To build the Kurdistan Parliament’s capacity and support MPs in their work, on 23 September MPs participated in a workshop on human rights. The workshop was run by UNAMI’s Human Rights Office together with Parliament’s Research Centre.

On the 49th anniversary of the founding of the Kurdistan Islamic Scholars Union, Deputy Speaker Hemin Hawrami and MPs congratulated the union. Mr. Hawrami asked the union to help protect Kurdistan’s peaceful coexistence between different religious and ethnic communities.

18 September – The chair and MPs of Kurdistan Parliament’s Committee on Social Affairs, Protection of Women’s Rights and Human Rights visited the city of Duhok and met with the General Directorate on Protecting and Developing Social Affairs. They discussed the problems faced by the directorates, and the staff suggested to the MPs relevant draft legislation that would help the sector. The committee members pledged to follow up on the issues raised in the meeting.

Kurdistan Parliament Speaker Dr. Rewas Faiq on 19 September received the President of Iraq's Council of Representatives, Mr. Muhammad Halbousi, at Erbil International Airport. Speaker Faiq stressed the need for a strong relationship between the two parliaments, and asked Mr. Halbousi to play a positive role by supporting the rights of the Kurdistani people in the Iraq 2020 budget, and to foster mutual understanding between all Iraqis. 

Speaker Dr. Rewas Faiq on 18 September welcomed the President of Iraq Dr. Barham Salih to the Kurdistan Parliament.  as part of his visit to the Kurdistan Region. Speaker Faiq asked President Salih to help the Kurdistan Regional Government and the Iraqi Government in their current negotiations to reach a final agreement on outstanding issues. President Salih said, “It is the Constitution that brings us together to create mutual understanding between all Iraqis, and to reach agreement.  The only choice that we have is dialogue, agreement and mutal understanding.”

Kurdistan Parliament MPs led by Deputy Speaker Hemin Hawrami on 16 September welcomed Members of the UK Parliament and representatives of Unite, the UK’s largest trade union. British MP Mr. Lloyd Russell-Moyle said, “We see Kurdistan as leading the way in the region.” He added, “We are here to show our support for your autonomy and purpose.” The delegation expressed their solidarity with the people of Kurdistan, as beacons of inclusiveness and diversity in the Middle East.

The Kurdistan Parliament on 17 September held the first sitting of the autumn session. At the sitting Speaker Dr. Rewas Faiq asked committees to work on six bills, Deputy Speaker Hemin Hawrami reported on Parliament’s visit to Baghdad and the mechanisms that Parliament has established to increase coordination between the Kurdistan Parliament and the Iraqi Council of Representatives (ICOR), in particular its Kurdistani blocks. MP Mr. Hevidar Ahmad (KDP) presented information and statistics regarding Kurdistan Region’s population numbers.

Parliament Speaker Dr. Rewas Faiq, Deputy Speaker Hemin Hawrami and Secretary Muna Kahveci on 16 September met with five Turkmen political parties and asked them to support policies that are critical to Kurdistan’s national interests.

Dr. Rewas Faiq the Speaker of Kurdistan Parliament, Hemin Hawramy the Deputy Speaker and Muna Kahveci the Secretary, and several members of Parliament’s Legislative Committee welcomed Judge Bangen, the Chair of the Judicial Council, the Deputy Chair and several of its members.