Erbil, Iranian Kurdistan Cross-Border Cooperation Deal

[Anthea]

Erbil, Iranian Kurdistan Sign Deal to
Boost Cross-Border Cooperation

The governors of Erbil and Iran’s Kurdistan province signed a wide-ranging memorandum of understanding on Wednesday, May 21, aiming to deepen cooperation in economic, cultural, social, scientific, and technological fields

The agreement, signed by Erbil Governor Omed Khoshnaw and Kurdistan Governor Arashi Zre Tani Lehoni, is designed to harness the capabilities of both regions to enhance trade, strengthen diplomatic ties, and improve the welfare of their populations.

The agreement outlines commitments in four key areas, starting with economic cooperation and infrastructure development. Both sides pledged to facilitate trade and customs by establishing a joint committee of chambers of commerce tasked with resolving legal disputes among business actors.

They also agreed to enhance coordination between customs and border authorities to share experiences, ease legal trade, and address residency challenges for citizens. A critical element of the agreement is the creation of direct transportation routes for exports, with particular emphasis on perishable goods and agricultural products.

These goods will move either through bilateral transportation systems or joint international ventures. Additionally, both parties agreed to avoid sudden restrictions on the movement of goods and to provide immediate notice of any trade-related decisions through the Joint Secretariat.

The agreement places importance on joint investment, encouraging and attracting capable investors from both sides for collaborative ventures. It also calls for the organization of joint conferences to explore and promote investment opportunities. On infrastructure, transportation, and engineering services, both sides aim to facilitate the exchange of expertise and cooperate on infrastructure construction and the development of transport corridors.

Health cooperation is another major theme of the agreement. Iran’s Kurdistan province committed to offering specialized medical services to patients from the Kurdistan Region, including advanced surgical procedures, gynecology, oncology, cosmetic treatments, and dental care. The two sides also intend to expand health tourism and health-related ecotourism. A joint effort will be made to regulate the informal health market to ensure the rights of patients are protected during their treatment experiences.

In the cultural, social, and environmental sections, the agreement focuses on reinforcing common identity and collaboration. The two provinces plan to host joint cultural events such as festivals, tourism familiarization tours, conferences, and exhibitions centered on tourism and handicrafts. The collaboration will also extend to tourism companies to support the development of joint travel programs.

Both sides aim to organize promotional tours for health tourism stakeholders to explore hospitals licensed to admit international patients and to visit key tourist and ecotourism sites. The movement of tourists and pilgrims across the border will be made easier, and efforts will be made to revive pilgrimage and historic routes and enhance tourism infrastructure.

Cultural cooperation will include launching a biennial Kurdish Art Week featuring film, theater, and music festivals. The provinces will work toward establishing literary and artistic awards and organizing exhibitions showcasing books and artworks from both sides. A joint digital archive and database of Kurdish literature and music will also be developed, in cooperation with universities, cultural institutions, and artists.

In the social sphere, the agreement calls for coordinated labor exchange and legal protections for workers. It includes plans to establish vocational counseling and job placement centers to facilitate employment for citizens from both regions. Efforts will be made to align and localize skill training programs in the sectors of industry, agriculture, services, and the arts. To support this, joint vocational training centers will be established to meet workforce needs.

Environmental protection is another area of shared concern. The agreement includes cooperation to protect forests and natural resources, and to address environmental challenges. This will involve the exchange of expertise and training programs focused on sustainable environmental practices.

The third article of the agreement emphasizes higher education, innovation, and technology. Both provinces will work to strengthen university cooperation, especially in emerging fields like artificial intelligence. The exchange of faculty and students will be expanded, and both sides will host joint scientific and cultural events.

Plans are underway to launch an online education platform offering collaborative courses. Additionally, the two regions will establish UNESCO Joint Research Chairs and conduct joint research projects addressing common issues such as water scarcity, drought, sandstorms, and food security. The agreement also includes six-month research opportunities for scholars and researchers at universities and research institutions on both sides.

A special focus will be placed on unifying the Kurdish language digitally across its dialects, in partnership with universities and academic institutions. Furthermore, the agreement provides for the development and localization of skills training materials, the training of vocational instructors, and the expansion of training opportunities tailored to the Kurdistan Region’s needs. Both provinces aim to promote the digital economy, highlight technological capacities, and facilitate bilateral trade in the tech sector. There will also be efforts to attract investment in knowledge-based companies and to create a more active role for the technology market in exporting products and services.

To ensure the implementation of the agreement, the governors of Erbil and Kurdistan province will remain in regular contact and oversee its progress. Their coordination will include engagement with the Iranian Consulate in Erbil and the Kurdistan Regional Government’s Department of Foreign Relations.

The agreement marks a new chapter in the long-standing ties between Erbil and Iran’s Kurdistan province, reflecting a shared ambition to deepen cooperation across multiple sectors for the mutual benefit of both regions.

https://www.basnews.com/en/babat/884252