PM Masrour Barzani bids farewell to outgoing US Consul General
Prime Minister Barzani expressed his gratitude to the Consul General for strengthening bilateral ties and wished him success in his upcoming roles.
ERBIL (Kurdistan 24) – Kurdistan Region Prime Minister Masrour Barzani on Thursday met with outgoing United States Consul General Irvin Hicks Jr., in the Kurdistan Region to mark the conclusion of his tenure.
“Emphasising the enduring bond between the Kurdistan Region and the United States, Prime Minister Barzani expressed his gratitude to the Consul General for strengthening bilateral ties and wished him success in his upcoming roles,” the PM office said in a statement.
The US Consul General Hicks Jr. reciprocated the sentiment, thanking the Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG) for their robust collaboration throughout his term at the US consulate.
Consul General Irvin Hicks Jr. became a part of the U.S. Consulate General in Erbil in August 2022.
Read More: 60 Years of Service: An American Diplomat’s Short Story
Prior to this, he held various significant roles, including being a Senior Advisor to the Bureau of International Narcotics and Law Enforcement Affairs, leading negotiations with the Bureau of Political-Military Affairs’ Office of Security Negotiations and Agreements, serving as a Foreign Policy Advisor for the Combined Joint Task Force-Horn of Africa stationed in Djibouti, and holding positions as Charge’ and Deputy Chief of Mission at the U.S. Mission in Mauritania.
Received Mr. Irvin Hicks Jr., the outgoing US Consul General @USCGERBIL. We had a fruitful discussion on current issues, political developments & my recent visit to #Washington. Thanked his valuable contributions to our bilateral ties & wished him success in his future endeavors. pic.twitter.com/akhGTkrwRn
— Safeen Dizayee (@SafeenDizayee) August 10, 2023
Safeen Dizayee, Head of the Kurdistan Regional Government’s (KRG) Department of Foreign Relations, on Thursday also met with outgoing US Consul General Irvin Hicks Jr. during the meeting with PM Masrour Barzani.
“We had a fruitful discussion on current issues, political developments and my recent visit to Washington. Thanked his valuable contributions to our bilateral ties and wished him success in his future endeavors,” he posted on the social media platform X, formerly known as Twitter.
The US has provided support to Peshmerga forces, particularly in the fight against ISIS.
Moreover, the US Consulate General has promoted US-Kurdistan Region trade ties, human rights, and American investment in the region.
The US has also supported holding the Kurdish parliamentary elections on time and welcomed the Kurdistan Regional Government’s (KRG) President's decision to hold elections on Feb. 25.
Read More: KRG, US sign renewed MoU to continue to support Peshmerga against ISIS
In Sept 21, 2022, the US signed a renewed Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with the Ministry of Peshmerga to continue to support Peshmerga forces.
