KRG UK delegations attends the Labour annual conference

Alternate Text 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