The Prime Minister of the Kurdistan Region inaugurated the “Golden Global Development” commercial project in the Zakho Independent Administration and announced the launch of three major automotive industrial projects. He also revealed that the unemployment rate in the Batel subdistrict had reached zero, both across Iraq and in the Kurdistan Region.
Today, Sunday 25 of 2026, Masrour Barzani, Prime Minister of the Kurdistan Region, inaugurated the (Golden Global Development) commercial project in the Zakho Independent Administration.
At the beginning of the ceremony, the Prime Minister toured the project’s sections and viewed the vehicles imported into the Kurdistan Region by the company supervising the project.
In a speech, the Prime Minister emphasized diversifying the Kurdistan Region’s economy and paying greater attention to the industrial sector.
Here is the text of the speech;
In the name of God, the Great and Merciful
Distinguished attendees
Dear brothers and sisters
Welcome, esteemed guests and dignitaries. I extend a special welcome to the Consul of Japan, the Director of the Consulate of China, and the representative of the Jitor Company. Welcome, esteemed guests. I am very pleased to visit the Duhok Independent Administration, particularly the Batel District, today, where we are delighted to participate in the opening and launch of three important industrial-sector projects, especially in the automotive industry.
I extend my thanks and appreciation to the Muhanad Group, particularly Mr. Ahmed Misher, as well as Mr. Ahmed Rêkani, for their participation in investing in these projects together with the Chinese and Japanese companies. This will undoubtedly provide very significant support for advancing the industrial sector at the level of the Kurdistan Region.
In addition to this sector making considerable progress, many job opportunities will be created for the people of this area and for Kurdistan generally. Developing the industrial sector has been a program of the Kurdistan Regional Government, alongside diversifying the revenues of the Kurdistan Region and diversifying its economy. We have wanted to attach greater importance to the industrial sector. I also thank the Director of the Duhok Independent Administration for facilitating matters so that the industrial sector can advance within the boundaries of the Duhok Independent Administration. I thank you.
As we have seen, many good things have been prepared. In particular, Nissan Company here will become the distributor of all the vehicles brought into Iraq, and they will be transferred from here to all the other parts of Iraq. This will create more job opportunities for the people of the Kurdistan Region, particularly the people of this area, and our people will learn more work in the private sector. Some time ago, we also opened a project like this belonging to Toyota in Duhok, and previously a similar project was opened in Erbil. God willing, this will be a very good beginning for advancing the industrial sector at the level of the Kurdistan Region and in all the cities, provinces and areas of the Kurdistan Region.
Kurdistan itself is in a very strategic location, connecting many markets of the Middle East. This will pave the way for us to play a more effective role in advancing the region’s economy, for Kurdistan to become a hub, and for many other companies to look to the Kurdistan Region to advance the economy in the area, as well as to provide greater benefits to those companies investing in the Kurdistan Region. I also call on Kurdistan’s investors to think more about how they can invest in the Kurdistan Region and, if necessary, form joint ventures with foreign companies, both to advance the economy of the Kurdistan Region and to promote scientific methods in the industrial sector.
We have seen very good abilities and capabilities among our young people, and there is a great deal of strength for advancing the Kurdistan Region in every field. Likewise, acquiring and bringing in that expertise from abroad will be very helpful in improving and raising the level of understanding and work in the Kurdistan Region.
As I understand it, thousands of job opportunities have been created during this period for our people. This was the objective of the Kurdistan Regional Government: to create many job opportunities, particularly through diversifying the economy. Previously, great importance was given to the agricultural sector, and now we have the same program for our industrial sector. The tourism sector is also one of the sectors to which we have attached great importance, and all of these will work together both to organize and increase job opportunities for our people and to advance the economy of the Kurdistan Region. I was also pleased to hear that Batel Subdistrict is the only subdistrict across all of Iraq and the Kurdistan Region where the unemployment rate has reached zero. This is commendable. I congratulate Batel Subdistrict, the Zakho Independent Administration and all of Kurdistan. Unless someone does not want to work, otherwise, as I have heard, there are still many job opportunities for other people from that subdistrict and this area to seek employment. This is commendable, and my hope is that in all the cities and areas of Kurdistan, you will once again take good steps to advance the economy and the private sector within your jurisdictions, which will become a source of support for the Kurdistan Regional Government. The government must also undertake every possible measure to support and facilitate the private sector so that we can further advance the economy of the Kurdistan Region.
I was very pleased to see these other projects of ours, some of which are now having their foundations laid. Undoubtedly, they will also create more job opportunities. The Jitory company, which is a Chinese company that will assemble and manufacture cars here in the Kurdistan Region, will be the first example of its kind in Kurdistan and will make significant progress in the automotive industrial sector in Kurdistan, while also creating more job opportunities in this area. It will also provide our people, particularly our youth, with a great deal of knowledge and expertise in this field, in technology and in the industrial sector, and will undoubtedly play a very effective role.
Likewise, Motorplex, which is also a complex for advancing the automotive industrial sector, or for training and assisting our youth to learn how to drive cars or to learn the principles, guidelines and characteristics of the automotive industrial sector.
All of these are future steps that will serve the people of Kurdistan. I thank all the companies—I once again welcome and thank the Chinese Mohandis Group and Harlam Group for the programs they presented today—and I wish all of you success. God willing, you will all succeed and remain at the forefront of daily progress, and may our Kurdistan always prosper.
