Scientific Trip to Department of Foreign Relations

On 25 February 2025, the International Relations and Diplomacy Department at Tishk International University, paid a scientific visit to the Department of Foreign Relations of Kurdistan Regional Government, Iraq, where students of 2nd, 3rd and 4th grades and members of staff of the Department participated. Dr. Mohammad Salih Mustafa led the team, which was received by the Adviser of the Department of Foreign Relations, Dr. Saman Sorani and Mr. Safeen Dizayee, Head of the Department of Foreign Relations. Dr. Mohammad Salih Mustafa introduced the IRD team to the DFR Adviser and explained the purpose of the visit, which was geared towards having a blend between theory and practice in order to broaden students’ understanding of the functions of the DFR in particular and foreign policy making and implementation in general.

Dr. Saman Sorani welcomed the IRD team to the Department of Foreign Relations and took time to explain the history and rationale behind the establishment of the Department of Foreign Relations, its duties, representatives of KRG abroad. Dr. Sorani explained that the Department of Foreign Relations is mandated to promote the interests of the Kurdistan Region and its people with regard to relations with the international community, in accordance with the Region’s legislation and Constitution of the Republic of Iraq. He further explained, within the context of diplomatic framework, the rise of KRG in the spring of 1991, being the period that the Kurdistan Regional Government was born. After the collapse of the Ba’ath regime officially, the Kurdistan Government got strengthened in all aspects of diplomacy and economy, as the circumstances of the KRG changed, and consequently, the KRG established the Department of Foreign Relations in 2006. Dr. Sorani made mention of the 14 KRG representatives abroad, which include KRG Representative in the Commonwealth of Australia, KRG Representative in the Republic of Austria, KRG Representative in the European Union, KRG Representative in the Republic of France, KRG Representative in the Federal Republic of Germany, KRG Representative in the Islamic Republic of Iran, KRG Representative in the Republic of Italy, KRG Representative in the Republic of Poland, KRG Representative in the Russian Federation, KRG Representative in the Kingdom of Spain, KRG Representative in the Kingdom of Sweden, KRG Representative in the Swiss Confederation, KRG Representative in the United Kingdom, and KRG Representative in the United States of America.