Kurdistan Region had significant representation and presence at Munich Security Conference
Political and security analysts have assessed the significance of the Kurdistan Region's high-level participation in this year's Munich Security Conference (MSC-2022).
Kurdistan Region Prime Minister Masrour Barzani, President Nechirvan Barzani, and a number of Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG) ministers attended MSC-2022 and held meetings with high-ranking officials from around the world.
On the second day of the conference, the Kurdistan Region's prime minister and the president met with a US congressional delegation led by Lindsay Graham.
"The US delegation reiterated that the Congress values the Kurdistan Region adding that, considering the challenges in the region, they believe the relationship between the Kurdistan Region and the US should remain strong," read the KRG's press statement.
"To see the Kurdistan Region's prime minister and president meet with world leaders in such a high-profile security conference proves the crucial role of Kurdistan in the international political and security arena," said Zanyar Khidir, a local political observer. "The world sees Kurdistan on a different positive level now because of the Peshmerga's role in fighting terrorists."
The Munich Security Conference started on Friday. Many senior world leaders and officials participated in the three-day event, which mainly focused on the Ukraine crisis.
Prime Minister Barzani also met with members of the US House of Representatives on Saturday. They discussed Iraq, regional developments, and further strengthening bilateral relations.
"We referred to the recent decision of the Iraqi Federal Supreme Court regarding Kurdistan's oil and gas as a deliberate attempt to undermine the Kurdistan Region's economic growth," Barzani wrote in a Facebook post. "The KRG is ready to defend its constitutional rights in every way."
"On the federal court ruling, I stressed the risks of political and economic uncertainty for all the country," Barzani tweeted.
Read More: 'KRG ready to defend its constitutional rights in every way': PM Barzani from the Munich Security Council 2022
"World leaders dealt with Kurdistan's high ranking officials totally as an official state," said Abdulla Rehman, a local political expert. "This indicates that Kurdistan now has a strong presence in the international political formulas and games."
Prime Minister Barzani also met with his Lebanese counterpart and later with the Secretary-General of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC), Mr. Nayef Al-Hajraf, on Saturday.
Read More: Kurdistan Region PM Barzani discusses stronger KRI-Lebanon relations with his Lebanese counterpart
Rehman and Khidir agree that the Kurdistan Region's role is highly considered and appreciated on various levels: national, regional, and international.
"I can say that Kurdistan is a key actor now in the world political theatre," Rehman noted. "Now it is time for KRG to review their lobbying strategy and make it more practical and stronger."