KRG Interior Minister reaffirms commitment to youth empowerment at graduation ceremony

"The youth of the Kurdistan Region should be the driving force behind our successes and should never allow themselves to be disheartened or ignore their achievements," he said.

Rebar Ahmad, the Kurdistan Region’s Minister of Interior delivering a speech at the graduation ceremony. (Photo: Kurdistan24)
Rebar Ahmad, the Kurdistan Region’s Minister of Interior delivering a speech at the graduation ceremony. (Photo: Kurdistan24)

ERBIL (Kurdistan24) - On Saturday, Rebar Ahmad, the Kurdistan Region’s Minister of Interior, participated in the Youth Training Graduation Ceremony in Erbil and delivered a speech emphasizing the government's commitment to youth support, job creation, and other key issues.

In his address to the first cohort of the youth training program, Minister Ahmad highlighted the crucial role of youth in the region's progress. He stressed that the ninth cabinet has consistently supported youth initiatives and projects since its inception.

Ninth Cabinet's Support for Youth

"Since the beginning of the ninth cabinet, supporting youth and developing their abilities has been a top priority for the government, and we have demonstrated this commitment in practice," Ahmad stated. "Despite the crises we have faced, we have never hesitated to support any project, including financial initiatives that aid the youth of the Kurdistan Region in their development."

He further emphasized, "We firmly believe that the future of this country is in your hands. You must play a significant role in building a stronger economic and political infrastructure in Kurdistan."

Encouragement in the Face of Challenges

The Minister urged the youth to remain resilient and proactive despite attempts to discourage them. "The youth of the Kurdistan Region should be the driving force behind our successes and should never allow themselves to be disheartened or ignore their achievements," he said. "You must face these challenges with intelligence and awareness."

While acknowledging the region's shortcomings, he added, "It is true that there are issues in the Kurdistan Region, but this does not mean you should succumb to the negative narratives about Kurdistan."

Job Opportunities and Stability

Minister Ahmad also addressed the employment landscape, asserting, "Stability, job opportunities, and development prospects in the Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG) cities are better than in many other cities in the region. We issue about 100 visas annually to foreign workers, so there is no justification for claiming a lack of job opportunities in the Kurdistan Region."

"There are many job opportunities here. It is up to you to find them, prove yourselves, and secure a brighter future," he added.

Natural Resource Management

Discussing the broader economic context, Ahmad remarked, "Iraq is rich in natural resources, but real progress will only come through good governance of these resources. The crisis has not deterred us from supporting the private sector and small businesses, ensuring our talented youth have more job opportunities and better incomes without solely relying on government employment."

The graduation ceremony underscored the Kurdistan Region's ongoing efforts to empower its youth and foster a vibrant, resilient, and progressive society.

On Saturday, under the auspices of Kurdistan Region’s Prime Minister Masrour Barzani, the first round of youth training graduation ceremonies was held in Erbil.

Over 4,200 young people from the Kurdistan Region celebrated their successful completion of the initial phase of the Kurdistan Region’s Youth Training course.

A memorandum of understanding with the Qatar Foundation was also signed during the event, further solidifying the partnership.

Read More: Qatar Consul General praises Kurdistan Regional Government's efforts at Youth Graduation Ceremony

The six-month training program, supervised by the Initiatives and Strategic Communications office in the Prime Minister’s Office, provided extensive training to young people from the Kurdistan Region and the Kurdish diaspora. The course aimed to educate participants and enhance their sense of national pride.

The memorandum of understanding between the Initiatives and Strategic Communications office in the Prime Minister's Office of the Kurdistan Region and the Qatar Foundation for Education, Science, and Community Development will focus on developing the skills of the Kurdistan Region’s youth, supporting university and college students, and launching several other projects.