On August 18, the new U.S. Consul General in Erbil Steve Bitner underlined that the United States is looking to build strong security cooperation with the Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG) in a video message in Kurdish and English.

Please welcome the new Consul General Steve Bitner. Watch this video! pic.twitter.com/c6Hb4G3V04

— U.S. Consulate General Erbil (@USCGERBIL) August 18, 2024

He said this is “part of our shared key commitment to build a professional and capable force to ensure the enduring defeat of ISIS. By working together, we can address persistent security threats to the United States, the Kurdistan Region, Iraq, and the rest of the region.”

The United States has provided equipment and support to Kurdish peshmerga forces through the U.S. Department of Defense-funded Counter-ISIS Train and Equip Fund program. On August 6, the United States delivered howitzer cannons to the Ministry of Peshmerga Affairs’ (MoPA) First and Second Support Forces. 

Moreover, advisors from the U.S.-backed coalition work with the MoPA to implement a four-year reform plan agreed upon between the U.S. Department of Defense and the KRG to modernize the peshmerga forces.

Peshmerga troops are currently split between political factions, with 70 units under the Patriotic Union of Kurdistan and 80 units under the Kurdistan Democratic Party. The goal of the peshmerga reform project is to unite these units as Regional Guard Brigades under the MoPA by September 2026.

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“I am happy to have this opportunity to live and work in the Kurdistan Region. During my time at the U.S. Department of State, I have served in the Middle East many times, but this is my first assignment in the Kurdistan Region,” Bitner said during the video address.

Prior to his arrival in Erbil in August, Bitner served as the Director of the U.S. Department of State’s Office of Iraq Affairs in the Bureau of Near Eastern Affairs from 2022 to 2024.

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He also took part in a Global Kurdish Initiative for Peace event at American University on March 18, 2024, marking the 36th anniversary of the Halabja chemical attack.

Bitner was posted in the Al Anbar and Babylon governorates of Iraq as a Foreign Policy Advisor to the Coalition Provisional Authority from 2003 to 2004. 

Read More: U.S. Consul General Expresses Support for Strong U.S.-Kurdistan Partnership

“I would love to meet the people of Kurdistan Region, visit beautiful and ancient heritage sites of Kurdistan, and try delicious traditional Kurdish Food,” he added. 

“More importantly, I am working alongside my colleagues at the Consulate to advance our relationship with the Kurdistan Region and deepen ties between our two peoples. I look forward to a very effective and productive year in our relationship.”

“The United States is committed to supporting democratic institutions in Iraq and the Kurdistan Region. In this regard, we are anticipating a free, fair, and transparent election on October 20, which is a crucial milestone in the stability of the Kurdistan Region and its democracy.”

Please welcome incoming U.S. Consul General Steven Bitner. You can read his full bio here: https://t.co/2RAJJlvMQK pic.twitter.com/ZVPiXuGngu

— U.S. Consulate General Erbil (@USCGERBIL) August 15, 2024

Read More: New U.S. Consul General Meets with Kurdish Officials

U.S. Consul General Bitner also said the United States will focus on supporting the Kurdistan Region to “diversify the Kurdistan Region’s economy in part by expanding the commercial opportunities between the United States and the Kurdistan Region.”

“I will also continue U.S. support for the Kurdistan Region’s work toward helping Iraq achieve its goal of energy autonomy and 24/7 power for all Iraqi citizens.”

Bitner also said he is “looking forward to having many productive engagements with local leaders, business leaders, religious leaders, and alumni of our U.S. exchange programs, students, educators, and the civil society to learn more about the rich culture and history of this region.”

“We have a unique opportunity to build upon our shared interests and values as we continue to further the relationship between the United States and the Kurdistan Region. I look forward to embarking on this journey together,” he concluded.