International Organization for Standardization adopts special symbol for Kurdistan Region

ERBIL (Kurdistan 24) – The International Organization for Standardization (ISO) has adopted a special code for the Kurdistan Region at the request of the Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG).

Previously the symbols for the autonomous region's provinces were no different from the Iraqi federal provinces in the organization's bulletins. From now on, provinces in the Kurdistan Region will have their own distinguishable symbols (the name of the province - IQ-KR).

As a result, the Kurdistan Region can officially enter into international transactions through the code IQ-KR (Iraq-Kurdistan Region). This step would make the institutions of the Kurdistan Region known among international institutions, especially after it adopted its symbols, including the flag, from the Unicode Coalition Algorithm.

The ISO code for the Kurdistan Region was adopted at the request of the Kurdistan Region Deputy Prime Minister Qubad Talabani in coordination with the Iraqi and Kurdistan Region ministries of planning.

The IQ-KR code includes Erbil, Sulaimani, and Dohuk provinces. Halabja province will also be included in the future.

"This step will help us in international electronic transactions, e-commerce, global mail, strengthening the banking sector and moving towards e-government," Talabani said.

"It is gratifying that this identification (symbol) paves the way for the official creation of an emoji for the flag of Kurdistan," he added.

Talabani also praised the cooperation and efforts of the Iraqi and Kurdistan Region planning ministries.

The International Organization for Standardization (ISO) is the largest developer and publisher of international standards headquartered in Geneva, Switzerland.