The Ministry of Peshmerga Affairs (MoPA) on Tuesday said that a group of peshmerga officers have completed a course in Washington, D.C.

The course on strategy, long-term planning, decision-making, and mission execution was conducted under the supervision of the Near East South Asia (NESA) Center for Strategic Studies at the National Defense University in Washington.

The NESA Center for Strategic Studies said it had hosted a delegation of 34 Iraqi general officers and senior representatives from security-related ministries in Iraq for a capstone seminar. 

The course, which focused on building partner capacity in strategic planning, leadership, and cross-coordination, ran from July 27 through August 1, 2025, and was conducted in coordination with representatives of Iraq’s Office of Security Cooperation.

The NESA Center for Strategic Studies on September 26, 2024, also hosted a delegation led by the peshmerga Chief of Staff at the National Defense University in Washington, and discussed the importance of professional military education.

Peshmerga officers from the MoPA recently also completed an English course as part of the U.S. Defense Program.

“This initiative enhances their communication skills with international partners, facilitates access to key resources, and supports participation in joint operations,” the U.S. Consulate General in Erbil said in a post on X last Monday.