The Prime Minister of the Kurdistan Region laid the foundation stone for the “Zakho Valley” tourism project in the Zakho Independent Administration and stated that developing the tourism sector is a key part of the government cabinet’s program to diversify sources of revenue.
Today, Sunday, 25 of October 2026, Masrour Barzani, Prime Minister of the Kurdistan Region, laid the foundation stone for the Zakho Valley tourism project.
At the ceremony, the Prime Minister delivered a speech in which, besides expressing his happiness, he noted that paying attention to the tourism sector had become part of the government cabinet’s program, and that in this regard the government would spare no effort within its capabilities. He also said that, in addition to its nature, the Kurdistan Region contains many historical and religious sites that can be utilized for tourism and where investment can be made.
This is the text of the speech:
In the name of God, the Most Great and Most Merciful
Esteemed sisters and brothers
Distinguished attendees
Welcome everyone. I am very pleased to be with you today to lay the foundation stone for a strategic tourism project that is unprecedented at the level of the Kurdistan Region and Iraq, and is a major project. I warmly welcome you all, and I am pleased that today we are laying the foundation stone for this project. I am also certain that, once completed, this project will lead to further development of the tourism sector in the Badinan area and throughout the Kurdistan Region.
I thank the Marmontana Company and dear brother Haji Saman for the good work he has done. I also thank the Independent Administration of Zakho for the facilities it has provided and for its efforts to attract investors to the territory of the Independent Administration of Zakho. I thank the people of Zakho for their continued support and for the love they have shown for their environment, their city and their country. Truly, this deserves appreciation and is a source of pride.
The Kurdistan Regional Government, within the framework of its program and in cooperation with the private sector, has attached great importance and value to the tourism sector. This has been part of the Kurdistan Regional Government cabinet’s policy to diversify the economy of the Kurdistan Region and increase sources of income in the Kurdistan Region.
The Kurdistan Region, particularly the Badinan area, has many pleasant and beautiful tourist sites and holds an important position in terms of tourism. It also has very good opportunities that can become one of the most important sources of income in the Kurdistan Region and provide many job opportunities for our people and our youth.
Kurdistan possesses a very beautiful and captivating natural environment. I came to Zakho some time ago and visited many tourist sites. Truly, there are many very beautiful and pleasant places. Believe me, what pleased me most was that I did not see any rubbish thrown along the sides of the roads, which is worthy of appreciation.
I hope our people will benefit from these tourism projects. Visitors will also come here, so respect the visitors, and our request is that they too respect the environment of the Kurdistan Region and these projects. Together, we can take better steps toward advancing the economy of the Kurdistan Region, particularly this area.
Unfortunately, in the past, Kurdistan’s natural environment suffered extensive damage, and many of our villages were destroyed. Even today, because of turmoil, war and conflict, and the absence of security, stability and safety, particularly in some border areas, not every place has been rebuilt. We hope that peace and stability will return to those places as soon as possible, and that they will once again become part of the tourism projects within the territory of the Independent Administration of Zakho, with projects like the one we are seeing today also being established there.
Besides Kurdistan’s beautiful nature, there are also many historic and fascinating sites throughout the Kurdistan Region: in Duhok, Zakho, Amedi, Akre, Simele and Bardarash. I should not have to name every site, because some friends may mention Batifa and Kani Masi; generally speaking, the Badinan area is important. But there are also many fascinating sites in Erbil, Soran and Rawanduz, including Shanidar Cave and Erbil Citadel itself. There are many sites—historic archaeological sites that people can visit and benefit from. In the Garmian area, Sulaymaniyah, Ranya and Qaladize, there are many historic sites that people can go and visit.
In addition to the historic sites, there are also many religious sites, such as mosques, churches and temples. These religious sites could also encourage people from outside and within the region to visit the Kurdistan Region and see them. Therefore, Kurdistan is in a position to attach greater importance to the tourism sector and implement more of these projects, creating more job opportunities for the people of the area. They can thereby both improve their standard of living and further raise the quality of service provision in the region.
What is required of the government is for it to provide greater assistance and facilitate the granting of permits, support these projects, and do whatever is necessary so that, if there are joint projects, the government can again provide support, allowing us to attach greater importance to diversifying the economy of the Kurdistan Region.
In many areas, the government has facilitated matters, particularly by building roads or expanding digital services, both for establishing companies and for the daily services our people use when they come to carry out their business. These digital services can be very helpful, enabling companies to conduct their work as quickly as possible and allowing people to benefit more from the speed of these services.
Finally, my request to all citizens and to foreign tourists when they come here is that they respect the nature of the Kurdistan Region, refrain from damaging these projects and preserve cleanliness. Indeed, for us in the Kurdistan Region, keeping our nature clean and beautiful is important, but every inch of our land is sacred to us, because much service, struggle and effort have been devoted to protecting this land, and the blood of our martyrs has been shed upon it. Therefore, keeping our land and our country clean is a duty, and my hope is that everyone will fulfill that duty and keep your nature clean. God willing, you will all remain healthy and safe.
As for the name of the project, I would like to make a suggestion. You people from Zakho—when someone is from Zakho, you call them Zakhoi, right? This is also the Zakho Valley, or in English, “Zaxo Valley.” So if you make the whole thing “Zakhuli,” call it the Zakhuli Project. In my view, it is a very suitable name. If you like it, God willing, you will succeed, and may Kurdistan always prosper. Thank you very much.
