I welcome today’s Joint Statement by Iraq’s international partners about the upcoming early parliamentary elections.

I also strongly welcome the support from our international friends and partners to facilitate free, fair and credible elections, in particular the provision of international monitors and observers through UNAMI, the EU and others. The Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG) will ensure full access and freedom of movement for the international teams, and encourages them to provide sufficient monitoring across this diverse country, including the disputed territories. This support is critical for the integrity of the electoral process as a whole.

It is important that candidates can campaign freely without fear of violence or intimidation so that the elections deliver a genuine democratic outcome for all Iraqis and for Iraq’s friends in the international community. Following the election, the KRG hopes that the international teams, and our partners, will provide recommendations to strengthen electoral processes across the whole of Iraq.

Masrour Barzani