French Senate Backs Kurdish Cause in Meeting with Diaspora Envoy

By Kamaran Aziz

ERBIL (Kurdistan24) – In a renewed affirmation of France’s commitment to the Kurdish cause, Senator Rémi Féraud, President of the Paris en Commun group on the Paris Council - Elected representative of the 10th arrondissement, welcomed Shifa Barzani, General Supervisor of the Kurdistan Diaspora Confederation, at the Senate headquarters in Paris this week, where he expressed unwavering support for Kurdistan and its people.

The meeting was attended by Ali Dolemari, representative of the Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG) in France, as well as members of the Diaspora Office at the Barzani headquarters. The high-level encounter marked a continuation of the long-standing ties between the Kurdish people and France, a country that has historically shown solidarity with the Kurdish struggle for rights, autonomy, and cultural preservation.

During the discussions, Shifa Barzani presented the Barzani Headquarters’ strategic program aimed at uniting the Kurdish diaspora across the globe under a shared national vision. He emphasized the importance of preserving Kurdish identity, language, and culture, while also encouraging Kurds living abroad to fully integrate into the social and legal fabric of their host countries.

“Our goal is to build a cohesive Kurdish diaspora rooted in cultural pride, lawful conduct, and social contribution,” Shifa Barzani said. He outlined several pillars of the program, including promoting education in the Kurdish language, deterring youth from falling into the traps of extremism or drug abuse, and cultivating a generation that is both proud of its Kurdish heritage and engaged citizens in their adopted countries.

Shifa Barzani also reiterated President Masoud Barzani’s vision for a united Kurdish voice in the diaspora, one that can advocate effectively for the legitimate rights of the Kurdish people in all four parts of Kurdistan.

In this regard, he appealed for France’s continued political and moral support on international platforms.

In response, Senator Féraud expressed deep appreciation for the Kurdish people’s values and resilience, affirming that the French Senate would remain a steadfast supporter of Kurdistan and its legitimate aspirations.

This engagement reflects France’s longstanding role as a supporter of Kurdish aspirations, dating back to President François Mitterrand’s era and sustained through successive administrations. The meeting also underscores France’s unique position in Europe as a political ally to the Kurdish people, not only in the Middle East but also in their expanding diaspora across the continent.

With growing challenges facing Kurdish communities both at home and abroad, such diplomatic support from established European institutions provides moral reinforcement and practical encouragement to efforts aimed at fostering unity, resilience, and international recognition of Kurdish rights.

The meeting concluded with a mutual pledge to deepen cooperation between Kurdish diaspora institutions and the French political establishment, with future cultural, academic, and civic initiatives envisioned as part of a broader framework for bilateral engagement.