Kurdistan Parliament Speaker and MPs meet UK MPs to discuss continuing excellent ties, capacity building programs

Kurdistan Parliament Speaker Dr. Vala Fareed today welcomed a delegation of British MPs who are members of the UK All-Party Parliamentary Group on the Kurdistan Region. The MPs also met Deputy Speaker Hemin Hawrami, Secretary Muna Kahveci, and the heads of several parliamentary blocs. Both the British and Kurdistani MPs said they want to build on the already close relations and for the UK to provide capacity building to the Kurdistan Parliament.

Jack Lopresti, the Chair of the APPG on his sixth visit to Kurdistan Region, congratulated Dr. Fareed on her election as Speaker. He said that he hopes the Kurdistan Parliament can create a parliamentary group on the UK.

Mr. Lopresti explained the group’s fact-finding mission, to understand the political, economic and security situation which they will report to the UK Parliament and government. The delegation visited Slemani earlier and has met many of the political parties.

Dr. Fareed thanked the delegation for their continued interested and close ties, and said that the Kurdistan Parliament’s Presidency and many MPs have called on the Iraqi authorities to halt the violence and arson committed against Kurds in disputed territories, and to implement Article 140 of the Constitution.

Deputy Speaker Hemin Hawrami and several Kurdistan Parliament MPs explained Parliament’s needs to strengthen the legislative process and the work of the committees. The British MPs hope to provide such capacity building assistance in the future.

MPs Steve Reed and Toby Perkins explained the work of British MPs for the public. Mr. Reed said that his constituency of Croydon North has many Kurdish constituents, as well as many other nationalities, and this visit will help him to better understand their situation.  

Begard Talabani head of the PUK bloc, Ali Hama Salih, Head of the Change (Gorran) bloc, Rebwar Babkayi (KDP), head of the Relations and Kurdish Diaspora Committee, Aydin Maroof (Turkmen Front), and Klara Bafro (ASCP Council), briefed the British MPs on their work and Parliament’s capacity building needs.

The delegation was accompanied by Gary Kent, the Secretary of the APPG who is on his 29th visit to Kurdistan Region, and Khasro Ajgayi, Director at the KRG UK Representation. Mr. Fuad Ahmed, Head of Parliament’s research department, also participated in the meeting.