Masrour Barzani Reiterates Commitment to Building “Strong Kurdistan Region”

 

Masrour Barzani, the new Prime Minister of Kurdistan Region, reiterated commitment to building a strong Kurdistan Region for all of its people.

Barzani wrote on Twitter that his new cabinet was officially formed to start “a new era for Kurdistan”.

“My commitment now is to work together with every party and every part of our nation to build a strong Kurdistan region for all,” PM Barzani said.

Earlier the day, Kurdistan Region Parliament gave confidence to the new KRG cabinet after approving Barzani’s premiership with 88 votes.

The legislative also approved Qubad Talabani as the Deputy Prime Minister during the Wednesday session.

“After working since September 2018 to put together a truly inclusive government, my commitment now is to work together with every party and every part of our nation to build a strong Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG) that serves the people, not the other way around,” Barzani said during his inauguration.

“We cannot succeed in building a strong government if we allow petty divisions and small disagreements to drive us apart.”

The former Chancellor of the Kurdistan Region Security Council (KRSC) called for further progress in developing a stable and constructive partnership with the federal government of Iraq.

“Erbil and Baghdad both want security and prosperity, built on a foundation of mutual respect and cooperation,” he continued.

“This will include securing our rightful share of government revenue by settling once and for all the distribution formula that determines the annual budget allocation for Kurdistan.”

Regarding the Kurdistan Region’s economy, Barzani highlighted the region's over-reliance on oil and gas, and promised to overhaul the public sector.

“We must ensure our government serves the people of Kurdistan in a fully transparent and accountable manner,” the senior Kurdish official added.

“This will include securing the public finances to pay down our debts, introducing regulatory reforms that allow businesses to thrive, attracting more foreign investment and enabling the development of new infrastructure.”

Barzani also called on the international community to support the new KRG and its reform program, while helping to protect the region’s status as a haven for persecuted and displaced people.