UN Stresses Need for Dialogue in Erbil-Baghdad Relations
“The Secretary-General has been very much aware of the Kurdish issues,” Stéphane Dujarric, Spokesperson for the United Nations Secretary-General, said.
ERBIL (Kurdistan24) – Stéphane Dujarric, Spokesperson for United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres, reaffirmed the UN’s awareness of the Kurdish cause and stressed the importance of dialogue between the Kurdistan Region and Baghdad during remarks to Kurdistan24 on Tuesday.
“The Secretary-General has been very much aware of the Kurdish issues, and I think when he was High Commissioner for Refugees, he dealt with it and was very close to it as well,” Dujarric said, noting Guterres’ long-standing engagement with Kurdish matters, particularly in Syria and Iraq.
Dujarric explained that while the ongoing crisis in Gaza has been dominating international headlines, Kurdish issues remain significant on the UN’s agenda. He emphasized that the Secretary-General’s position on Syria has consistently been that “all Syrians should feel included—regardless of their nationality, religion, or ethnic background.”
On Iraq, Dujarric stressed that the UN continues to advocate for resolving disputes between the Kurdistan Region and the federal government in Baghdad through peaceful dialogue. “We want to make sure that all the issues relating to Iraq, between the federal government and the Kurdistan Region, are solved through dialogue,” he said.
The United Nations has played an important role in the Kurdistan Region over the past decades, particularly during humanitarian crises. António Guterres, during his tenure as UN High Commissioner for Refugees from 2005 to 2015, frequently visited Iraq and the Kurdistan Region to oversee aid operations for displaced persons, especially during the rise of ISIS. The Kurdistan Region hosted nearly two million refugees and internally displaced people during the peak of the conflict, earning international recognition for its humanitarian response.
The UN continues to work closely with both Erbil and Baghdad on issues ranging from political stability and elections to humanitarian assistance and development. The reaffirmation of the Secretary-General’s awareness of Kurdish issues comes at a time when relations between Erbil and Baghdad remain strained over oil revenues, budget allocations, and the status of disputed territories.
By reiterating the importance of dialogue, the UN is signaling its continued support for stability in Iraq and recognition of the Kurdistan Region’s key role in maintaining peace and security in the wider Middle East.
