US Special Representative for Iraq and Syria Tom Barrack highlighted the central role of the Iraqi Kurdish Regional Government in regional stability. Speaking after the US-Iraq Business Summit in Washington, Barrack stressed that lasting success in the region can only come through economic cooperation, while drawing attention to the importance of the Kurdish Region in this vision.
In a post on X platform on Friday, Barrack expressed his pleasure at meeting with Sami Abdul Rahman, Senior Advisor for Foreign Relations and Climate Change to Kurdistan Region Prime Minister Masrour Barzani, who was in Washington as part of the delegation led by Iraqi Prime Minister Ali al-Zaidi. "I am very pleased to see my friend Ms. Sami Abdul Rahman in Washington as part of the Iraqi delegation led by Prime Minister Zaidi," he said.
In his post, Barrack said, "The Kurdistan Region continues to play a vital role in advancing stability, peace and prosperity in Iraq and the wider region." Sami Abdul Rahman previously served as the representative of the Kurdistan Regional Government to the US and the UK.
Emphasis on Economic Cooperation
Barrack's remarks came immediately after his comprehensive Middle East strategy presented at the US-Iraq Business Summit. Speaking at the summit, Barrack noted that regime change attempts have failed to provide lasting stability, saying, "We have learned that diplomacy, intelligence and military power alone cannot create peace. Only economic investment and trade can bring lasting success."
The US Special Representative placed Iraq at the center of a new regional partnership connecting Mesopotamia, Syria and the Gulf through infrastructure, energy and transportation projects. Barrack said the proposed initiative also includes a new energy corridor extending through Turkey, Azerbaijan and Turkmenistan to Central Asia and from there to Europe, stressing that Iraq will be at the heart of this developing regional network.
Barrack's latest remarks once again highlighted the strategic role the US envisions for the Iraqi Kurdish Region within its regional vision. This vision prioritizes economic cooperation, regional connectivity and long-term stability.
