On Thursday, May 9, 2024, Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG) Prime Minister Masrour Barzani held a meeting with U.S. Under Secretary of State for Civilian Security, Democracy, and Human Rights Uzra Zeya, during which he expressed gratitude to the United States for its ongoing support and assistance
Honored to meet with Iraqi Kurdistan Region Prime Minister Masrour Barzani on human rights, Sinjar Agreement implementation, IDPs, refugees, and the importance of elections. ?? is proud of our longstanding and historic partnership with Iraq’s Kurdish people, forged in shared… https://t.co/c6dkNc9EqG
— Under Secretary Uzra Zeya (@UnderSecStateJ) May 9, 2024
Under Secretary Zeya expressed her pleasure in visiting the Kurdistan Region and emphasized that it is a key strategic ally and partner of the U.S. in Iraq and the broader region, the KRG said in a press release.
Prior to her visit to Erbil, Under Secretary Zeya visited Jordan and Baghdad. She is also scheduled to visit Mosul.
On travel this week to Jordan and Iraq to meet with government and civil society partners to advance regional humanitarian, human rights, and civilian security priorities. Read more here: https://t.co/wyMYWUjKi8
— Under Secretary Uzra Zeya (@UnderSecStateJ) May 8, 2024
In Erbil, Under Secretary Zeya was scheduled to meet with Kurdistan Region President Nechirvan Barzani, Prime Minister Barzani, Deputy Prime Minister Qubad Talabani, and Minister of Interior Rebar Ahmed Khalid to discuss U.S. support for a democratic, stable, secure, and prosperous Kurdistan Region, as well as protections for human rights, media freedom, and support to refugees and internally displaced persons, according to a statement from the U.S. Department of State’s Office of the Spokesperson.
The Pentagon’s quarterly inspector general’s report to the U.S. Congress on May 2 said that U.S. policy in Iraq aims to “support a resilient Iraqi Kurdistan Region.”
Read More: Prime Minister Barzani Concludes U.S. Visit
On February 24, 2024, KRG Prime Minister Barzani traveled to Washington, D.C., on an official invitation by the Biden administration to meet with top U.S. officials and members of Congress.
“Our support for a resilient KRG is integral to our 360-degree approach to Iraq,” U.S. Secretary of State Antony J. Blinken said during a meeting with Prime Minister Barzani on February 26.
Pleased to welcome @UnderSecStateJ to Erbil. We agreed on continued cooperation to uphold shared principles of human rights, democracy, and freedom of expression in the KRI.
— Masrour Barzani (@masrourbarzani) May 9, 2024
We reviewed conditions in Sinjar and the need for the full implementation of the Sinjar Agreement. pic.twitter.com/W95OJObPXQ
During the meeting, Prime Minister Barzani and Under Secretary Zeya also discussed the implementation of the Sinjar Agreement, “the removal of militias and unlawful groups, thereby facilitating the stabilization of the region, the reconstruction of Sinjar, and the voluntary repatriation of refugees.”
In October 2020, the Iraqi federal government and the KRG signed the Sinjar Agreement with support of the UN in order to stabilize the situation in Yezidi-majority region of Sinjar. So far, the agreement has not been fully implemented.
Read More: Sinjar Agreement Not Implemented: USCIRF
The annual report of the U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom published on May 1 called on the United States to use diplomatic channels to encourage Baghdad and Erbil to implement the Sinjar Agreement.
The U.S. Department of State’s Office of the Spokesperson said that “throughout her visit, Under Secretary Zeya will encourage Iraqi federal and Kurdistan Region leaders to deliver progress for survivors of the ISIS genocide, including Yezidis and other religious and ethnic groups, as the 10-year anniversary of these atrocity crimes approaches.”
The Yezidi genocide carried out by ISIS in August 2014 in Sinjar resulted in the deaths of thousands of people. Almost 10 years later, thousands of Yezidi women and girls are still missing. Moreover, thousands of Yezidi’s are still displaced in camps in the Kurdistan Region.
During his meeting with Under Secretary Zeya on May 9, Kurdistan Region President Barzani discussed the urgency of addressing the plight of the Yezidis. He also underlined the “significance of implementing the agreement between the KRG and the Federal Iraqi Government to normalize the situation in Sinjar.”
