Qubad Talabani: Raparin Development Agency Will Provide Employment Opportunities for Youth

PUKMEDIA

Qubad Talabani, the Deputy Prime Minister of the Region.

Qubad Talabani, the Deputy Prime Minister of the Region, has opened the Raparin Regional Development Agency, declaring: “This agency will provide full facilitation for investors wishing to undertake projects in the Raparin area, ensuring that decisions are made swiftly within the Raparin Administration. Concurrently, it will create job opportunities for the region’s youth by supporting small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs).”

At a fitting ceremony held on Sunday, 31 May 2026, in the presence of Deputy PM Talabani, alongside a number of ministers, party and government officials, and local dignitaries, the Raparin Development Agency was officially opened. 

In a speech, Talabani stated: "The primary objective of establishing this agency is to eliminate routine and expedite procedures for citizens and investors in the area. We aim to develop the agricultural, tourism, and industrial sectors, which define the unique character of this region."

He further stated: "It is no longer acceptable for a citizen or an investor to be forced to travel to Sulaymaniyah or Erbil for a business transaction or a project, waiting months for a single signature. Instead, decisions must be made locally within Raparin by the area's own officials, swiftly and without delay."

He also noted: "The Raparin region possesses fertile soil, beautiful nature, and talented youth. The strategy of this agency will be to focus efforts on three fundamental sectors: agriculture, tourism, and industry. We want to revitalise the economic infrastructure of this area so that it does not become a neglected region."

Talabani added: "Ending youth unemployment cannot be achieved through public sector employment alone. This agency will serve as a bridge and the primary supporter of the private sector and SMEs, enabling the youth of this region to become entrepreneurs themselves and strengthen their local economy."

In conclusion, he remarked: "The Raparin region deserves greater services, and this agency will mark a turning point in the method of governance and reconstruction in the area."

Meanwhile, responding to questions from journalists, Talabani stated: "We must reach an agreement on forming the government, and we are ready to implement any option that delivers us from this current deadlock."

He also declared: "We are ready to meet with the Kurdistan Democratic Party (KDP). However, do all parties understand that for the new government to succeed, we require genuine partnership, balance, and cooperation? As the PUK negotiating team, I understand this reality; the disagreements on the PUK's side are not over positions, but rather over the philosophy of partnership and joint governance."



PUKMEDIA