President Barzani Receives Baghdad Governor Atwan Al-Atwani

ARK News.. President Masoud Barzani received Baghdad Governor Atwan Al-Atwani and his accompanying delegation on Saturday, June 20, 2026, at the Pirmam Resort, where discussions focused on prospects for cooperation and the exchange of development and public service expertise between Iraq’s federal capital and the Kurdistan Region.

During the meeting, the Baghdad Governor and his delegation expressed their deep appreciation for the history of struggle and sacrifices made by the people of Kurdistan in pursuit of freedom. They also praised President Barzani’s historic and pivotal role in leading that long struggle, as well as his continued efforts to strengthen stability, social harmony, and urban development in the Kurdistan Region. The delegation further commended his significant contributions to the establishment and development of the democratic process in the new Iraq.

For his part, President Barzani reviewed key stages of the Kurdish people's struggle and sacrifices throughout various political periods, stressing that the values of peace, tolerance, and coexistence constitute the fundamental pillars and true foundation for any economic and social progress in the Kurdistan Region and across Iraq.

The meeting also included an extensive exchange of views on benefiting from the Kurdistan Region’s development and reconstruction experience and on supporting governmental efforts aimed at improving public services and achieving sustainable stability in Baghdad and other Iraqi provinces.

In a related context, President Barzani renewed his full support for the initiative proposed by Kurdistan Region Prime Minister Masrour Barzani to convene a “Conference of Iraqi Governors” in Erbil. He emphasized that such a conference would represent a positive and important step toward enhancing coordination and exchanging service-related expertise and perspectives among Iraq’s local administrations.

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