On June 23, the UK’s new Consul General to the Kurdistan Region Andrew Bizley arrived in Erbil and underlined in a video message posted by the Consulate General of the UK in Erbil on X that he is “absolutely thrilled to be here.”
Meet our new Consul General, @AndrewBizley! Follow him for the latest updates on his journey and let us know where you think he should visit around the KRI! pic.twitter.com/ZY90bXfBeu
— UK in Erbil (@ukinerbil) June 23, 2024
“I was lucky enough to spend some time in the region on a previous posting to Iraq and my experience of the Kurdistan Region’s people, its culture, the food, and the landscape left such an impression on me that I’ve known for a while that I wanted to return here, to live here, to get to know the region even more,” he stated in a video message.
“The relationship between the UK and the people of this region is long-standing and it remains incredibly important to the UK, so I’m very proud to lead our consulate’s work on building on that relationship.”
Consul General Bizley replaces the UK’s outgoing Consul General in Erbil James Goldman, who has served in the Kurdistan Region since January 2024.
Read More: Building on Strong Friendships: My Early Weeks in the Kurdistan Region
“Before arriving in the Kurdistan Region, I set myself the objective of exploring the region, to meet as many people as possible and to learn about the culture, people, history, and – as those that know me will attest, most importantly – cuisine,” Goldman wrote for the Kurdistan Chronicle in February
On June 23, Former Kurdistan Region President Masoud Barzani welcomed the newly appointed Consul General Bizley at his headquarters in Salahadin, where they discussed recent developments in the region.
Delighted to welcome @andrewbizley to the UK’s Iraq Network as the new Consul General Erbil. Wonderful to have you @ukinerbil and working closely with @UKinIraq. You’re going to love this fantastic role! https://t.co/N7Cj4eprfA
— Rosy Cave (@RosyCave) June 23, 2024
Moreover, the UK’s Deputy Head of Mission in Baghdad and former Consul General to Erbil Rosy Cave said she was delighted to welcome the UK’s new Consul General in Erbil.
“Wonderful to have you @ukinerbil and working closely with @UKinIraq. You’re going to love this fantastic role!”
The UK, along with France and the United States, established the no-fly zone in 1991 that led to the establishment of the Kurdistan Region.
On April 5, a street in Erbil was named after the UK’s former Prime Minister Sir John Major to honor his role in setting up the no-fly zone.
The UK has also strongly supported the peshmerga, as well as cultural engagement in the Kurdistan Region, building a strong educational, trade, and investment relationship with the region. Furthermore, there is a large Kurdish diaspora living in the UK, who have contributed significantly to British society.
