Deputy Prime Minister Qubad Talabani meets with British Consul

Erbil, Kurdistan Region, Iraq (GOV.KRD) – Deputy Prime Minister Qubad Talabani today met with a British delegation led by British Consul General in Erbil, James Thornton, to discuss issues concerning reforms and services in the Kurdistan Region.

During the meeting, Deputy Prime Minister Talabani highlighted ongoing progress with the Kurdistan Regional Government’s reforms, including measures taken to enhance the public digital service portals and the biometrics system. The Deputy Prime Minister, who has been leading on these efforts for years, affirmed that digitalizing the government’s work and diversifying the Kurdistan Region’s economy remains a key priority and goal of the ninth Cabinet.

He also underscored the Kurdistan Regional Government’s reform efforts are being supported by the biometric system, which is identifying information gaps and streamlining opportunities in the region.

Both sides agreed on the need for a well-established banking infrastructure in the Kurdistan Region, to enable further reforms and support anti-corruption efforts. They also explored ways to help university students enter the job market and join the region’s workforce.

Consul General James Thornton was joined by Deputy Director of Development, Liz Atwell, Economic and Statistics Adviser, Alexander Hamilton, Director of Reform for the Stability of Iraq, Nicola Millen, and Second Secretary of Reform and Security at the British Consulate, Elinor Lipman.