November 11, 2001
Erbil and Duhok Football Clubs Post Wins
In the seventh game of the National Elite Club League, the Erbil Football Club continued its winning streak, Friday, November 2 against the Student Club. Hosted by the Student team at the Al Sha'ab Stadium, Erbil had an easy 2 - 0 victory this week.

Duhok also won their sixth game, 3 - 2 against Al-Karikh. Both teams are enjoying excellent starts to the season.

Textile Plant Producing Fabric for Women
The Erbil Textile Factory has been producing hand-woven natural fabrics since 1991. This year, for the first time, the factory is weaving fabric especially for women. The Ministry of Industry and Energy has overall responsibility for the factory that is managed by General Director, Ass'ad Hassan. Although the equipment is quite old, it is still producing good quality materials that are available for sale at the factory showroom. Materials are available in various colors at reasonable prices (40-45 Dinars per meter).

University of Duhok College of Medicine Recognition
The College of Medicine at the University of Duhok received very good news in September. The General Medical Council (GMC) of the UK has agreed to recognize the degrees issued by the university to medical doctors. This means that the graduates of the school can apply for post-graduate degrees at universities in the United Kingdom. The University of Salahaddin in Erbil has been registered with the GMC for a number of years, but this is the first time that the graduates from the University of Duhok will enjoy the same privileges.

November 10, 2001
PRESS RELEASE: Defence & Security Forum Gives Dinner in Honour of Kurdish Prime Minister Find out more

November 8, 2001
PRESS RELEASE: A Banquet at the House of Lords in Honour of Kurdish Prime Minister
Lord Ahmed of Rotherham, gave a banquet at the peers dining room, House of Lords, last night, at 6.30 pm, in honour of KRG-Prime Minister Mr Nechirvan Barzani, A number of Labour Party peers and members of Parliament plus diplomats, academics and journalists attended, In his opening speech, Lord Ahmed gave his impressions on the development of the KRG administration, and the advances made to establish a civil, democratic society based on the rule of law.

In his speech Mr Barzani, emphasised the role of International public opinion, and the support of sympathisers and friends in helping to maintain, protect and develop the region.

Anne Clwyd, MP, chairman of the Parliamentary human rights committee, spoke of her long association and support for the Kurdish cause and her hope for a prosperous, democratic and peaceful region.
The event ended at 9.45 pm when Lord Ahmed presented the visiting delegation with memorabilia from the House of Lords.

October 27, 2001
The Prime Minister of Kurdistan Regional Government Meets Swedish Officials.
Press release
Article on visit

October 26, 2001
PRESS RELEASE: A Delegation of KDP-International Relations Bureau and KRG Hold Meetings with UN Authorities and Security Council Members' Missions to the UN in New York. See release

October 27, 2001
Erbil and Duhok Football Clubs at Top of Iraqi Elite Clubs League
The Erbil Football Club moved to the top of the Iraqi Elite Clubs League after a 4-2 win against Mina Football Club on October 24 at the Franso Hariri Stadium in Erbil. Erbil scored in the first three minutes of play and at 25 minutes were ahead 3 - 0. During the second half Mina came alive and managed two goals before Erbil scored its fourth goal of the game.

In an exciting play, the Erbil goalkeeper managed to deflect an almost sure goal in a penalty kick. With the 4-2 win, Erbil collected 16 points and the first place spot in the League standings.

On the same day, the Duhok Football Club played a home game against the Rumadi Football Club and won a tight game with a 2 - 1 final score. Duhok now has 16 points as well but due to goal differences, the team is now in second place in the League.

..October 2001 NEWS BRIEFS...

KRG Minister Meets Belgian Deputy Prime Minister
On October 10, 2001, the Minister of Reconstruction and Development (MORAD), Nasreen Berwari, accompanied by the Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG) European Union Representative, Burhan Jaff, met with the Belgian Deputy Prime Minister and Labor Minister. Their Western Europe official and government political advisor also participated in the meeting. Ms. Berwari gave an overview of the composition of the KRG and its work as well as the projects being implemented by NGOs. During the one-hour meeting, opportunities for development projects were discussed.

Mr. Jaff, talking in detail about the latest political developments in the region, urged Belgium to participate in the reconstruction and development of Kurdistan. The Deputy Prime Minister was pleased to have another opportunity to discuss the situation in Iraqi Kurdistan following the early summer successful visit to Brussels by Ms. Berwari. The Belgian official stressed the need to have deeper relations with the region and expressed his readiness to visit Kurdistan.

400 Houses for Families Returning from Iran
The Kurdistan Regional Government and the Refugee Settlement Commission work together to plan for the resettlement of families returning from Iran. A new project is now underway to construct 400 houses along the Diana-Delzian Road in the Soran District for families who returned two to three years ago but their villages are not yet reconstructed. Plans for the project include primary and secondary schools, health center, roads and water services. Houses all have a living room, two bedrooms, kitchen and bath as well as a private yard.

Other projects have been completed previously in the Soran and Mergasor Districts for the thousands of returnee families from Iran. Another 740-house project is scheduled to begin soon. In addition, some families are building their own houses with the building materials provided to them.

Erbil Tie Duhok Loss
The Erbil Football Club hosted the Samawa Club for the fifth game of the national Elite League at the Franso Hariri Stadium on October 24. The game ended in a tie.

Erbil is enjoying an excellent season so far holding their second place position in the standings behind the Shurta (Police Force) team. Their last big win was against the Samara Club on October 19 with a final score of 5 to 2.

On the same day, Duhok lost its match against the Air Force team 3 to 1 but they also had a win on the 19th against Sia'a.

15 Villages Working to Revive Their Forests
Ministry of Agriculture and Irrigation staff is working with 15 villages along the dividing line between the Governorates of Erbil and Duhok to revive their forests. These villages were destroyed in the past decades and are now rebuilt. Plans to reforest the area and plant orchards are being implemented along with efforts to rebuild the agricultural economy to support farming and animal husbandry. Some 25,000 square meters have been earmarked for reforestation to be carried out in several stages. During the first stage, five or six villages will be involved. These efforts are designed to help people remain in or return to their villages by providing assistance to develop the rural economy.

Erbil Improvements
One of the programs undertaken by the Iraqi Kurdistan Regional Government's Fourth Cabinet has been the improvement and modernization of the capitol city, Erbil. Several ministries are working on various projects around the city and noticeable progress has been made in improving the overall appearance of Erbil.

One ongoing project is the renovation of 100 Meters Street. The part currently under renovation is a 5 km long stretch between the Koya and Kirkuk roads. Under the supervision of the Municipality of Erbil, it is expected that the work will be completed in about six months. This project will improve the road surface and sidewalks, build a sewerage pipeline, and replant the median.

The top asphalt layer will be scraped off in preparation for a new layer that will be applied. The old concrete sidewalk will be completely removed and redone with brick that is more attractive and easier to maintain. The sewerage project, now 80 per cent completed, will have around 1500 m of underground cement pipes. Work has already started on planting trees and grass in the median

Sports Medical Center
There is no doubt that organized sport has prospered under the Iraqi Kurdistan Regional Government. There are now many teams of all kinds of sports very active in cities and towns in the region. When athletes were injured in the past, they had to go to regular hospitals and health centers for treatment. The Minister of Health and Social Affairs, Dr. Jamal Abdulhameed, said it was always Franso Hariri's wish to have a health center that would serve just the needs of athletes. On October 6, 2001, the Minister opened a new sports health center named in honor of Franso Hariri. It is a unique center in Kurdistan, which will specialize in the treatment of athletes. The Ministry will provide all the necessary equipment and supplies for the center and staff it with specialists. The new Franso Hariri sports medicine clinic is located within the Franso Hariri Stadium in Erbil.

Neurosurgery in Iraqi Kurdistan
Until recently patients had to go to Mosul or Baghdad if they required brain surgery because there was no specialist in this field in Kurdistan. Recently, Dr. Walat Ibrahim Yasin, a neurologist, has been performing brain surgery at the Komari Jamhur Hospital in Erbil. He performed nine operations over three weeks, the latest for a 25-day old infant with a swollen brain.

Dasinya Bridge in Duhok
One of the biggest problems for traffic in Duhok is the shortage of bridges in the city. Of the three existing bridges (Kawa, Birayati and Gal), the Birayati and Gal are under renovation. A fourth bridge, the Dasinya, started construction on May 1, 2000, and is nearly complete with just the last layer of asphalt to add before it can officially open. The bridge is 24 m wide by 44 m long and has sidewalks for pedestrians. It was funded under SCR-986 at a cost of US $262,000.

Erbil Wins Duhok Ties
On October 1, the much-anticipated game between the Erbil and Al-Zawra clubs took place at the Franso Hariri Stadium. Erbil won 3-0 marking the first time in 30 years that the team beat Al-Zawra. Al-Zawra is one of the best teams among the top Iraqi soccer clubs as well as among the Asian and Arab soccer leagues. Many of the Iraqi national team players have come from this club. Their coach is considered the best in Iraq and led the Iraqi youth team to the world finals. He is currently coaching the national team for the World Cup qualification games.

On the same date, Duhok played the Air Force team, another top team in Iraq, and played to a draw. A tie game against such a good team is a major accomplishment for the Duhok team. Air Force players are now on teams in Lebanon, Qatar, UAE, as well as the Iraqi national team.

The Erbil and Duhok teams are playing in the Iraqi Elite Clubs league. In the third week of the season, Erbil is in second place and Duhok in fifth.

Reviving Tourism in Iraqi Kurdistan
In an effort to revive tourism in Kurdistan, the General Directorate of Tourism has renovated many hotels and tourist sites in the region. Sarkawt Rawanduzi, head of the Tourism Committee, said, "Kurdistan is a natural tourist area, but successive governments have not paid enough attention to this sector." He said that the KRG has now started a program to renovate old tourist sites and to develop new modern sites. The Committee has hired many experts in the field of tourism and is working on a renovation program. One of the projects is the creation of a tourist village in Shaqlawa with forty modern cabinets, restaurants, casinos, and parks. According to Rawanduzi, the old Sheraton Hotel in Erbil is due to be renovated soon as a part of the program. The private sector is also involved in the renovation and development of tourism in the area with many Kurds from abroad actively investing in projects.

September 20, 2001
Speech of President Barzani to Kurdistan National Assembly
Kurdish leader condemns attacks on USA, vows to combat fundamentalists. Read speech

July 9, 2001
Mustafa Barzani Graduate Peace Fellowship
The Center for Global Peace at American University in Washington, DC is now accepting applications for the Mustafa Barzani Graduate Peace Fellowship. See more information

June 4, 2001
KRG Delegation visit to the EU
From 5 ­ 7 June 2001, A Kurdistan Regional Government delegation headed by H.E. Nechirvan Barzani, prime minister will meet and discuss with Belgium and Netherlands governments issues pertaining to the present status and future of the Iraqi-Kurdistan following 10 years de facto existence. See press release

June 4, 2001
Kurdistan Communist Party Praises Elections
The Politburo of the Kurdistan Communist Party expressed "satisfaction with the organization and running of the recent municipal elections" and extended congratulations to the winners. They view the elections as a "positive experience and a step forward in the efforts to create a democratic system in the region." See announcement

June 3, 2001
Election Observation Report
A report on the municipal elections in Iraqi Kurdistan Region for Erbil and Duhok Governorates. See report
Municipalities in Erbil Governorate
Municipalities in Duhok Governorate

June 3, 2001
Statement of the Higher Commission for Municipal Elections
Comments on the results of the Municipal Elections conducted in Iraqi Kurdistan on 26 May, 2001. See statement

June 3, 2001
Election Results Are In
In Erbil and Duhok Governorates, 79 percent of all eligible voters answered the call to choose from more than 1,000 candidates that stood for election either representing one of the 15 political parties that participated in the elections or as independents. Read more

June 3, 2001
Municipal Elections Held In Iraqi Kurdistan
As called for by the Kurdistan Regional Government, municipal elections were held on May 26, 2001, in 86 communities located in communities with more than 3,000 citizens in the Governorates of Duhok and Erbil. Read more

May 15, 2001
KNA Appointed Committee Holds Meetings on Migration
At the request of Masoud Barzani, President of the KDP, the Kurdistan National Assembly formed a temporary committee for the purpose of making a thorough study of the migration issue. Read more

May 12, 2001
KNA to Study Women's Committee Recommendations
On May 10, 2001, the Committee for the Protection of Women’s Rights made a presentation to the Members of the Kurdistan National Assembly about changes or amendments to legislation that are needed to improve women’s rights in Iraqi Kurdistan. Read more

April 7, 2001
Conference on Kirkuk
From April 3 – 5, 2001, an academic conference was held in Erbil to discuss the situation in Kirkuk. Read More

April 2001
KRG on Deportation: an official statement from the Deputy Prime Minister. See statement

February 2001
On February 2, 2001, The Mustafa Barzani Scholar in Residence for Global Kurdish Studies, in conjunction with American University's Center for Global Peace held a Capitol Hill Briefing entitled "BEYOND THE BOX: PROSPECTS FOR A POST-SADDAM IRAQ." Dr. Shafiq Qazzaz, Minister for Humanitarian Aid and Cooperation was one of the speakers. Following is his presentation. (clicking this link will open a Word document in your Web browser)

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