KRG UK delegations attends the Labour annual conference
News : 9/29/2025
Liverpool, UK, www.uk.gov.krd. Karwan Jamal
Tahir, the Kurdistan Regional Government’s High Representative to the United
Kingdom, led a delegation to the UK Labour Party’s annual conference, held in
Liverpool from September 28 to October 1.
During the
event, the KRG delegation took part in high-level discussions and seminars
focused on international affairs, using the opportunity to engage with the
Labour Party's foreign policy positions, particularly those relating to the
Middle East.
The KRG
delegation was formally invited to diplomatic receptions, including head of
missions reception and Arab ambassadors event where senior UK government
officials attended. Among them was newly appointed Foreign Secretary Yvette
Cooper, whose recent elevation follows a change in government. In a discussion
with her, High Representative Mr Tahir stressed the importance of her visit to
Erbil and Baghdad amid ongoing regional complexities. He urged the UK to play a
more active role in fostering dialogue between Iraq’s federal government and
the Kurdistan Region, and in supporting stronger bilateral relations.
Throughout the
conference, the KRG delegation held a series of meetings with UK officials,
Labour Party representatives, MPs, and international diplomats. Discussions
centered on strengthening ties between the Kurdistan Region and the UK, with
British officials expressing admiration for the Region’s development,
stability, and the role of the Peshmerga in ensuring regional security. There
was a shared commitment to deepening cooperation across political, economic,
and security fields.
During the conference,
KRG Representation in the UK also hosted a reception to celebrate the enduring
friendship between the Kurdistan Region and the Labour Party. Attendees
included Minister for the Middle East and North Africa Haimish Falconer,
members of the UK Parliament’s All-Party Parliamentary Group (APPG) on
Kurdistan, councillors and local government’s officials, Labour Friends of
Kurdistan, and Kurdish members of the Labour Party.
In his remarks,
KRG UK High Representative thanked both the Labour Party and the UK government
for their longstanding support and reaffirmed the importance of continued UK
engagement. He called on British leaders to press for the resolution of
disputes between Erbil and Baghdad, in accordance with Iraq’s permanent
constitution.
John Silinger,
Chair of the APPG on the Kurdistan Region, reiterated the group’s steadfast
backing. Reflecting on a recent parliamentary visit to Kurdistan, he praised
the Region’s democratic progress and security efforts, vowing continued support
for its constitutional rights and political stability.
Minister Haimish
Falconer also addressed the gathering, describing himself as a "close
friend" of the Kurdistan Region. He spoke of his previous visit to the
Region and praised its development. Falconer emphasised the strategic
partnership between the UK and Kurdistan region and welcomed the recent
Erbil-Baghdad agreement on resuming oil exports via Turkey’s Ceyhan port. He
underscored the UK's support for resolving federal-regional issues and
strengthening ties that benefit both Iraq and the UK.
Liverpool
28th September – 1st October 2025