President Nechirvan Barzani receives new US Consul General in Erbil

ERBIL (Kurdistan 24) – Kurdistan Region President Nechirvan Barzani on Wednesday received the newly inaugurated US Consul General in Erbil Mark Stroh.

The Kurdish president welcomed the new envoy and wished him success in his new endeavor, as he expressed his full support for the diplomatic mission, according to a statement from the presidency office.

President Barzani reiterated the Kurdistan Region’s willingness to develop ties with the United States, the press release added.

Consul General Stroh similarly expressed his country’s commitment to deepening relations and cooperation with the Kurdistan Region.

They also discussed the latest developments and topics of shared interest, it added.

The envoy was officially inaugurated in the position on Sunday, replacing his predecessor Irvin Hicks Jr.

Prior to his new position, the diplomat served as the US Consul General in Pakistan’s Karachi.

Stroh completed his undergraduate studies in History and Political Science at Randolph-Macon College in Virginia, according to his profile on the US Department of State.

He later received a Master of Science in Journalism from Columbia University. Before becoming a career diplomat, he worked as a journalist for several years at the Philadelphia Inquirer.

The Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG) in late July appointed Treefa Aziz as its representative to Washington, DC, replacing Bayan Sami Abdul Rahman.

Read More: PM Masrour Barzani appoints new envoy to US

“My plan is to continue to strengthen the relationship not just with the US government but with the US people,” Ms. Aziz told Kurdistan 24 on Monday.

Representative Aziz and Consul General Stroh have recently met in the US capital to discuss the KRG's priorities.