Deputy Speaker Hawrami meets US Consul General Steven Fagin

Kurdistan Parliament Deputy Speaker Hemin Hawrami on 30 June met US Consul General Steven Fagin to discuss the Kurdistan Region government formation process and the latest political developments.

Deputy Speaker Hawrami briefed the US Consul General on Kurdistan Parliament’s vote to extend the current Spring session by 15 days, to allow time for the new cabinet to be approved and be sworn in by Parliament. The main coalition partners are still negotiating on the cabinet.

Consul General Fagin said that the US hopes to see the new Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG) cabinet formed as soon as possible. He also hoped that the new cabinet will include more women.

Deputy Speaker Hawrami said that the poor security situation in Kirkuk and surrounding areas must be normalized as quickly as possible. He and Mr. Fagin also discussed resolving the outstanding issues with the Iraqi Federal Government, including oil and the 2020 budget.

They agreed that the US Chamber of Commerce’s recent visit to Kurdistan Region was very important for building trust and encouraging international businesses.

Ms. Silvia Eirez, the US Consulate General's Chief of Political and Economic Affairs, also participated in the meeting.