Qubad Talabani

Qubad Talabani (قوباد تاڵەبانی, Arabic: قباد التالباني) (born 21 July 1977) is an Iraqi Kurdish politician who has been the deputy prime minister of the Kurdistan Region since 2014. Formerly serving as the representative of Kurdistan to the United States, Qubad is the second son of former Iraqi President Jalal Talabani.

Profile
Qubad Talabani is a member of the political bureau of the Patriotic Union of Kurdistan political party and supervisor of the General Secretariat of President Mam Jalal. He currently holds the position of Deputy Prime Minister in the Kurdistan Regional Government. This is his second term in the position.

Talabani assumed the position of Deputy Prime Minister for the first time in 2014, during a time when the Kurdistan Region was dealing with difficult challenges. The Kurdistan Region was going through a financial crisis because disagreements with the federal government in Baghdad had seen the latter refuse to send the Kurdish a pre-agreed share of the federal budget. Additionally 2014 was also the year that the extremist group known as the Islamic State took over parts of northern Iraq, also threatening the Kurdistan Region.

During the 2018 elections for the Kurdistan Regional Parliament, Talabani ran on promises of stability, employment opportunities and improved and efficient state services. He received more than 180,000 votes, the highest percentage of all candidates in the region. As a result, he was again appointed Deputy Prime Minister in the ninth cabinet of the region's government.

In every aspect of his work, Talabani believes the government is first and foremost a servant of the Kurdish people, according to the highest standards of contemporary governance. In being this, Talabani believes government officials must rise above partisan political conflicts.

During his tenure as Deputy Prime Minister, Talabani has implemented several strategic projects.

One of the most notable was the biometric registration project for Kurdistan Regional Government employees. This project began during the eighth cabinet. During the ninth cabinet, civil servants received a "Unique Personal Number", or UPN. Previous to this, the Kurdish government had not had enough accurate information on state employees and their salaries.

Previously, in 2012, Talabani had already established the Department of Coordination and Follow-up, as part of the region's seventh cabinet. There, he supervised the monitoring and evaluation of government affairs, as well as facilitating coordination between ministries.

Among other important, recent projects is the state services project, which has helped improve how the state provides citizens services. This project has also reduced unnecessary red tape and helped combat corruption.

Another important project revolves around financial transparency and allows citizens to follow the daily revenues of the Sulaymaniyah and Halabja governorates, and the Raparin and Garmian administrations, online.

Talabani has also championed the recently-launched SmartSuli platform. The platform invites both citizens and experts to help in finding solutions to the city's challenges, with the final objective being to provide better services for all and to make Sulaymaniyah into a "smart city".

Talabani's efforts in these areas are accompanied by staunch support of key social issues in the Kurdistan Region. He has worked to improve the region's legal framework, so that it is easier to combat violence against women. He also always stresses the importance of supporting and celebrating young Kurdish people in whatever sector they're in. Talabani has also helped develop agriculture and tourism in the region.

Talabani regularly expresses his firm belief in freedom of expression and freedom of the press and provides ongoing support to journalists and civil society activists. Together with other decisionmakers in the Kurdistan Regional Government and Iraq's federal government, he has worked to address the country's pressing environmental issues, supporting efforts to protect water resources and to combat drought.

Talabani has a degree in mechanical engineering from Kingston University in London.

From 2001 to 2003, Talabani worked as a special assistant to the Representative of the Patriotic Union of Kurdistan in Washington, and then later as the Deputy Representative.

In 2003, he returned to the Kurdistan Region for a year, during which time he served as a Senior Foreign Relations officer to the coalition forces and the US' Coalition Provisional Authority.

Qubad Talabani returned to the United States in April 2004, where he represented the Patriotic Union of Kurdistan in Washington. In 2006, with the merger of the Erbil and Sulaymaniyah administrations, he was appointed the first representative of the Kurdistan Region to the United States and he remained in this position until 2012.

During his time in Washington, Talabani established the Kurdish-American Congressional Caucus, a bipartisan committee focusing on US-Kurdish relations, with the support and participation of 52 members of Congress. Established on May 23, 2008, the committee is a guarantee of the continued friendship between the United States, the Kurdish diaspora in that country, and the Kurdish people in the Kurdistan Region.

Talabani also played an influential role in the establishment of the US-Kurdistan Business Council in November 2011. The Council's mission is to facilitate trade with US companies while also strengthening US private sector investments and relations with the Kurdistan Region.

Talabani was born in 1977 and is the son of Jalal Talabani and Hero Ibrahim Ahmed. His father, Jalal Talabani, the founder of the Patriotic Union of Kurdistan, was President of Iraq between 2005 and 2014. His mother was one of the most prominent intellectuals in the country as well as one of the country's most influential female figures. Talabani grew up in the United Kingdom with his grandparents, the writers and activists Ibrahim Ahmed and Galawezh Ahmed. Both of them played an important role in his upbringing.

The Deputy Prime Minister is also passionate about football and a loyal fan of Manchester United. He is married to lawyer Sherri Kraham, and the couple have two children, Ari and Lara.

Vision
For Qubad Talabani, the ultimate goal of politics is to create a free and just society.

The main slogan for his political work - "a Kurdistan for all" - refers to the development of a free and just Kurdistan, without racial or social discrimination.

Only a free and just Kurdistan can be a nation for all those in it. A country where no person, party, group, social class, belief or ideology can impose its will on others.

In order to achieve his political goals, in the government, the party and as an activist, Qubad Talabani has focused all his efforts on four themes: GOOD GOVERNANCE

GOOD GOVERNANCE

For Qubad Talabani, good governance is responsible governance. It's about taking responsibility now and for the future. Today those in political power need to take responsibility for citizens' needs, to ensure there is security, freedom, welfare and dignity for all. This means that political power acknowledges its impact on future generations, for better or worse, directly or indirectly.

Regarding governance and politics in Kurdistan, Qubad Talabani believes that good governance is based on certain fundamental pillars, including transparency, efficiency, scientific insights and foresight.

No government can succeed without the trust of its citizens. Lack of trust is one of the main problems for politics in the Kurdistan Region. Talabani is working to achieve more transparency because without this, trust cannot be restored.

Talabani links other political problems in Kurdistan to the inefficiency of its institutions. He believes that government institutions are too large, due to excessive or outdated laws, negligence and a lack of expertise. This results in institutions unable to handle the affairs of citizens properly.

Since entering government, he has focused his efforts on reforms in this area. This includes biometric registration and service portals, amending laws and progress towards genuine e-government as well as better accountability and the monitoring of civil servants' performance.

Talabani believes in the concept of science-based leadership, not governance based on personal preferences and beliefs. In other words, any government policy, plan or strategy must be informed by data and analysis. Before deciding upon a strategy, it must be properly evaluated by academics and experts so that we no longer make mistakes. To highlight this belief in science-based governance, Talabani always asks for assistance from other nations' international advisors and experts during diplomatic meetings.

Talabani also believes in the principle of future-focussed decision making. His view is that political decisions today will directly impact the lives of future generations. This means that, ethically speaking, political decisions need to take into account more than short term impacts.

In making decisions on, for example,  the environment and natural resources - such as water, oil and gas  - one must bear in mind that these resources will not only be accessed by this generation but that future generations have rights to these resources too.

EMPOWERING WOMEN, IMPROVING THEIR STATUS

Qubad Talabani considers improving the status of women and empowering them a priority.

It is one of basic principles of his political life because he believes that a society is not free if it does not provide freedom for women and does not have gender equality in culture, law and the political system.

He believes deeply that the stronger the role of women in politics, the market and all spheres of society, the more society will move towards democracy, the rule of law and balanced development. For Talabani, this means not only supporting the strengthening of women's positions within political parties, the government, business, and civil society, but also emphasizing that the government must have long-term plans to further develop females' skills.

Talabani also works with the relevant governmental and civil society organizations to try to eliminate all forms of violence against women. Because of this he is in constant contact with law courts and the police to combat domestic violence and to prevent perpetrators of such crimes from escaping punishment.

Qubad Talabani: "There is no honour in killing women."

PROVIDING OPPORTUNITIES AND STRENGTHENING THE POSITION OF YOUTH

One of Qubad Talabani's priorities is to provide more opportunities for young people, something he believes is crucial for them to take on a more effective role in local society.

Talabani believes it is important to support and encourage young people in a variety of fields, including politics, arts, sports, technology, and entrepreneurship, and he seeks to provide them with the necessary support from the private sector.

Talabani has full confidence in the abilities of young people in the Kurdistan Region to solve problems and improve society in every way and in each sector. He firmly supports related initiatives like the SmartSuli platform and the Sulaymaniyah International Forum for Entrepreneurship and Innovation, in addition to many other projects.

Talabani also works within government to provide support for young people who wish to embark on a journey to become entrepreneurs.

FREEDOM OF EXPRESSION AND THE PRESS

Freedom of expression is the foundation of all other freedoms. Qubad Talabani believes that if people do not dare to express their opinions freely for fear of the authorities, the authorities have lost their legitimacy.

Qubad Talabani's insistence on freedom of expression and media is due to the understanding that without freedom of expression, neither a free nor just society can be built, nor will the country have good and responsible governance.

Over the years, more than any other politician, Qubad Talabani has faced many attacks and frequent defamation efforts, but not once has he filed a legal complaint in Kurdistan or Iraq. More than any other politician, Talabani has defended journalists and has always stated that, "prison is not a place for journalists".

ENVIRONMENTAL ISSUES

Environmental issues, along with gender equality, are one of the pillars of Qubad Talabani's political life. He believes that this generation is the last generation to have the opportunity to prevent the predicted disasters, ones that threaten the future of Kurdistan, Iraq and the world.

Qubad Talabani believes that there is a great lack of awareness and indifference in Kurdistan, Iraq and the entire region towards environmental issues and that they have not yet become a major issue in local politics. But they will. That is why, he believes that not only his party, but all political parties, should make the environment a priority.

He is deeply concerned that due to apathy and the lack of understanding around the issue, that the consequences of environmental change could lead to further instability in the region in the future. From this perspective, he is working to make the environment a political priority throughout Iraq and within his political party.

== Achievement == Qubad Talabani took over as Deputy Prime Minister in 2014 at a sensitive time. The region was facing a severe financial crisis due to budget cuts by Baghdad and falling oil prices. The Kurdistan Region had been attacked by the extremist Islamic State group and instability had spread in Iraq and the Kurdistan Region. In addition, about 1.8 million refugees had fled to the Region, putting a huge financial burden on the local authorities.

In this difficult situation, the government could not afford to pay the salaries of its employees and most service and investment projects were disrupted. Talabani, who entered government with a plan to reform and streamline government departments, did not have the opportunity to implement those plans due to successive crises and deepening political conflicts. However he did not give up. He began working on reforms in his first year in the job and continues to do so today.

Some of the steps he has taken so far include:

SERVICE PROJECTS

The aim of the service project is to facilitate citizens' transactions and eliminate administrative and financial corruption. The project involves digitizing citizens' transactions and services, an important step towards creating a more digital government.

The first phase of the service project has been completed and the service portal is now available. According to the portal, before visiting a government office or department, citizens know about what is needed as well as any fees required. Additionally, if a citizen has a complaint about how the institution has treated them, they can notify the relevant authorities through the portal.

The second phase of the project, which is currently in development, is the creation of a one-stop-shop system, which means that when citizens visit a department, they do not need to visit room by room. This is not only a great convenience but also solves the problem of interference and corruption between departments.

CENTRAL PAYROLL SYSTEM AND BIOMETRIC REGISTRATION

Until the eighth cabinet, no detailed statistics or data on the number of state employees were available. Ministries submitted monthly lists of salaried employees to the Ministry of Finance. This was not transparent and details could be changed monthly. Furthermore, a good government should have detailed information about employees in all aspects. Qubad Talabani introduced the idea of a central salary system and supervised the implementation of the biometric registration project.

The biometric register of Kurdistan Regional Government employees has been a factor in eliminating black market wages and reducing corruption, and has become a key basis for implementing many reforms in government departments.

It is now easier to monitor government expenditure. More than 50,000 "dummy" positions were deleted and millions of dollars in monthly expenditure were refunded. Based on this system, preparations are being made to pay salaries electronically in the near future. Currently all salaried employees in the region have unique personal numbers and in the next stages of the process, all citizens will be registered in this system too and will also have unique personal numbers. State services are connected through this personal number.

The relevant council is also currently working on reorganizing the government's human resources and distributing positions to ministries and departments in a more efficient manner. This is an important step in administrative reform.

ELECTRONIC SIGNATURES BILL

As part of his campaign to digitalize local government and eliminate excessive bureaucracy in government departments, Qubad Talabani has prepared an electronic signatures bill that will have great impact if approved by the Kurdistan Region's Parliament. For example, a citizen will no longer have to wait for a manager to sign his transaction in person.

HEADING THE KRG DELEGATION FOR BUDGET NEGOTIATIONS

After the federal government in Baghdad again cut the Kurdistan Region's share of the national income in April 2020, Kurdish authorities have had problems providing civil servants' salaries. Qubad Talabani took over the leadership of the Kurdistan Regional Government's negotiating delegation to Baghdad and after several visits to the capital, an agreement was reached to send 320 billion Iraqi dinars monthly. Unfortunately the federal government ony held to this agreement for two months.

In late 2020, Talabani and the delegation resumed negotiations to reach an agreement on the 2021 budget. This was accomplished after several rounds of negotiations. It was an important achievement for the Kurdistan Regional Government. After the approval of the budget law, the oil and non-oil revenues of the region were estimated and it was determined that the region should receive 200 billion Iraqi dinars monthly during 2021.

ESTABLISHING AN OFFICE FOR COORDINATION AND FOLLOW-UP

Upon his return from the United States in 2012, Qubad Talabani established the Office of Coordination and Follow-up. He then headed that office in the Kurdistan Regional Government. The office's mission was to follow up on the government's actions and decisions and to evaluate the performance of various ministries.

During his 18-month tenure, Talabani implemented several projects that focussed on the development of skills within government. At the same time, the state services project was launched.

ASSISTING THE PRIVATE SECTOR

Qubad Talabani has supported the private sector in the Kurdistan Region because it plays a fundamental role in reviving and strengthening the local economy. His achievements in this area include:

- Registration of companies

Previously registering a company took at least a month and, in some cases, several months due to excessive bureaucracy and outdated laws. Talabani supervised the amendment of laws and guidelines himself and his actions means that this process now requires just one working day.

- Review of fees

Talabani has reviewed fees charged for state services. His decision was not to increase fees but to organize and facilitate their collection and adapt the process so that it supports the building of a strong local economy.

- Reorganization of border crossings

Another of Talabani's achievements is the reorganization and digitalization of border gates. This aims to make revenues – customs duties and similar income - more transparent and to speed up business activities and trade.

- Labour law, private sector pension law and employment guidelines for foreigners

Another of Talabani's efforts is to amend local labour laws, the private sector pension law and guidelines for foreign workers in the Kurdistan Region. Amendments to the labour law protect gender equality in the workplace. This will be an important factor in the development of the private sector and also empowers women, making them a vital part of the Kurdistan Region's human resources.

The amendment to the private sector pension bill allows private sector employees to retire in the same way as public sector employees, offering a significant incentive for citizens to consider private sector employment more favourably.

The amendment to the employment guidelines for foreign workers obliges the private sector to give priority to local labour and only hire foreign workers if local labour is unavailable. The directive also emphasizes the protection of the rights of foreign workers in accordance with international standards.

Talabani is focused on creating a favourable environment for private sector investment by ensuring that the state and bureaucratic environment is conducive to this increasingly important and growing aspect of the Kurdistan Region's economy.

CREATING A KURDISH-AMERICAN LOBBY

Qubad Talabani has played an important role in strengthening relations between the Kurdistan Region and the United States, both when he was his party's representative in the United States and after 2006 when he was the Kurdistan Regional Government's representative there. He has established strong relationships with various parties in the country, including in Congress, think tanks, companies and chambers of commerce. All these serve the interests of the Kurdistan Region.

During his time in Washington, Talabani played an influential role in establishing the  Kurdish American Congressional Caucus, a bipartisan committee focusing on US-Kurdish relations, with the support and participation of 52 members of Congress. Established on May 23, 2008, the committee is a guarantee of the continued friendship between the United States, the Kurdish diaspora in that country, and the Kurdish people in the Kurdistan Region in Iraq. It was because of the efforts of this committee that the decision was made to open a US Consulate in Erbil.

Talabani also played an influential role in the establishment of the US-Kurdistan Business Council in November 2011. The Council's mission is to facilitate trade with US companies while also strengthening US private sector investments and relations with the Kurdistan Region. The Council works to ensure that the Kurdistan Region benefits from foreign investment in a way that strengthens economic opportunities here.