KRG Minister Advocates for Religious Minorities in Iraq, Syria at Washington Summit
Ano Jawhar participated in the International Religious Freedom Summit in Washington, holding meetings with US officials and institutions to discuss challenges facing minorities in Iraq and Syria and to promote democratic governance and minority protection.
ERBIL (Kurdistan24) - From the halls of Washington to the global stage of religious freedom advocacy, the voice of the Kurdistan Region carried the stories of vulnerable communities as a senior KRG official placed Iraq and Syria’s minorities at the center of international dialogue.
Ano Jawhar, Minister of Transport and Communications of the Kurdistan Regional Government, participated in the International Religious Freedom Summit in Washington.
In a statement, the minister said: “On the sidelines of the International Religious Freedom Summit, I took part in a series of official meetings organized by IPP for the rights of freedom of religion and belief.”
Jawhar said he held detailed discussions with Mark Walker, Senior Advisor for International Religious Freedom at the US Department of State, and with commissioners of the United States Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF), focusing on the humanitarian challenges facing Christians, Yazidis, and all other religious and ethnic components in Iraq and Syria.
He added that in an official meeting with Derek Layton, Managing Director of the House Democracy Partnership (HDP), and Leslie Reagan, Deputy Director, they discussed the institution’s responsibilities, which include strengthening democratic governance through the promotion of transparency, accountability, the rule of law, pluralism, and the protection of minority rights.
Jawhar said the mission of the House Democracy Partnership also includes building parliamentary capacities by supporting legislators in developing legislation, activating committee work, and strengthening oversight of the executive authority.
The discussions took place during the International Religious Freedom Summit in Washington, where Ano Jawhar represented the Kurdistan Regional Government and engaged with US officials and institutions on religious freedom, democratic governance, and minority protection.
The meetings concluded with formal invitations for international partners to attend the Kurdistan National Day of Prayer, set to be held in Erbil in April under the supervision and attendance of President Masoud Barzani.