PM Masrour Barzani: Syrian Kurds Can Draw Strength from Kurdistan Region’s Experience
“Our Kurdish brothers and sisters in Syria can absorb our successes and avoid repeating our missteps. That, I believe, is the most valuable advice we can offer.” said Kurdistan region PM Masrour Barzani.
By Ahora Qadi
ERBIL (Kurdistan24) – Prime Minister of the Kurdistan Region Masrour Barzani on Wednesday stated that the Kurds in Syria can significantly benefit from the political and governance experience of the Kurdistan Region, describing it as “a naturally rich experience shaped by triumphs and trials alike.”
Speaking during a panel discussion at the Ninth Sulaimani Forum 2025, Barzani reflected on the Region’s evolution over the decades, stressing that Syrian Kurds have a valuable opportunity to learn from both the achievements and the setbacks of their Kurdish counterparts in Iraq.
“We in the Kurdistan Region have lived through moments of celebration as well as moments of hardship,” Barzani remarked. “Our Kurdish brothers and sisters in Syria can absorb our successes and avoid repeating our missteps. That, I believe, is the most valuable advice we can offer.”
PM Barzani emphasized that the foremost priority for Syrian Kurds should be achieving unity. “The more united Syrian Kurds are, the stronger their ability will be to defend their legitimate rights and reach a meaningful agreement with the authorities in Damascus,” he asserted.
Understanding Syria’s Demographic and Political Landscape
Prime minister Barzani also pointed to Syria’s deep-rooted ethnic and geographic diversity as a critical factor in shaping any political future. “Syria is a country of many ethnicities and identities, divided not just by sect or language but also by geographic realities,” he noted.
He explained that Kurds form the overwhelming majority in the Kurdistani areas of northeastern Syria, while Turkish-aligned groups exert significant control in the northwest. The Alawite population is concentrated along the Mediterranean coast, and the Druze community is largely situated in the country’s southern provinces.
“Even among the Arab tribes, there is no single unified political vision,” Barzani added. “And now there is a new order emerging in Damascus — one that will shape how all these groups navigate their place in the state.”
Toward a Realistic Path Forward
Barzani’s remarks come amid ongoing political flux in Syria, where various Kurdish factions are engaged in efforts to unify their positions and engage Damascus in dialogue over future governance, rights, and federal arrangements.
By referencing the Kurdistan Region’s own political maturation — built through internal negotiation, external engagement, and sustained institution-building — Barzani offered a pragmatic message grounded in lived experience: unity is a prerequisite, and without it, political aspirations risk stagnation.
As the forum continues in Sulaimani with high-level local and international participation, the message from the Prime Minister stood as both a gesture of solidarity and a sober roadmap for Syrian Kurds navigating their political future.
