The event was inaugurated by H.E. Deputy Prime Minister of the Kurdistan Regional Government, Mr. Qubad Talabani; H.E. Minister of Agriculture and Water Resources, Ms. Begard Talabani; the Governor of Sulaymaniyah, Dr. Haval Abubakir; the Mayor of Sulaymaniyah, Ms. Leyla Omar Ali; the FAO Representative in Iraq, Mr. Salah El Hajj Hassan; along with a number of senior representatives from  academic and agricultural institutions.H.E. Mr Qubad Talabani, Deputy Prime Minister, emphasised the importance of this initiative, saying: ‘The gene bank is an investment for the future; it protects our past and secures our future.’The Gene/Seed bank is a strategic facility for conserving Iraq’s rich plant genetic diversity, which includes over 3,500 plant species originating from the ancient civilizations that once flourished in Iraq—the cradle of civilization. These species hold scientific, historical, and human value across the region and globally. The facility will enable the conservation of rare plant genetic resources, including wild varieties of grains, vegetables, and indigenous crops. It will also strengthen Iraq’s capacity to conserve seeds and make use of valuable genetic traits—such as drought tolerance—from wild species to support the development of more climate-resilient crops.In her remarks, H.E. Minister Begard Talabani stated: “This initiative represents a strategic milestone in the journey of developing the agricultural sector by protecting plant diversity and supporting scientific research. It will enable farmers to benefit from our historical plant heritage and will allow us to preserve our agricultural legacy for future generations.”FAO Representative in Iraq, Mr. Salah El Hajj Hassan, expressed his sincere appreciation to FAO’s national partners in the federal government and the Kurdistan Regional Government for their close collaboration and support. He also acknowledged and thanked the European Union for funding this initiative under the scope of the  “Restoration and Strengthening the Resilience of Agri-Food Systems in Iraq,” project,  which also reflects the follow-up to the recommendations resulting from the FAO Director-General visit to Iraq and his meetings with senior officials. He added that this facility represents a center for scientific innovation in research and resilience-building. It enables the preservation of Iraq’s historical, environmental and agricultural heritage, ensures that future generations can benefit from it, and stands as a testament to FAO’s commitment to transforming Iraq’s agricultural legacy into a powerful tool for sustainable development.”The gene bank will house modern storage vaults, laboratories, research and training facilities, and seed data documentation and conservation areas. Future expansion is anticipated to include a field gene bank, a tissue culture laboratory, and a cryobank.The initiative directly contributes to the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), particularly SDG 2: Zero Hunger and SDG 13: Climate Action, by investing in biodiversity conservation and climate-resilient agriculture.

The Special Representative of the United Nations Secretary-General for Iraq and Head of UNAMI, Dr. Mohamed Al Hassan, welcomed the IHEC Chair and the Board of Commissioners, underlining the Commission’s central role in ensuring an Iraqi-led and Iraqi-owned process that is free, fair and transparent.The Special Representative stressed that maintaining the independence of the Commission and bolstering the trust of Iraqis are key to successful elections, emphasizing the significance of this CoR elections in consolidating Iraq’s stability and strengthening its democratic institutions and mechanisms of good governance. In this context, he called on political parties to commit to a code of conduct that promotes peaceful, orderly, well-managed and credible elections, and to refrain from the use of money for political purposes, to ensure the integrity, independence, and transparency of the elections. He further stressed that the process must be inclusive and serve all Iraqis, regardless of sectarian, ethnic, or religious affiliation, while emphasizing the importance of the participation of women and minorities.

During the meeting with the Governor of Karbala, discussions focused on several matters, including topics of development in the governorate and the potential contribution of the United Nations through its specialized agencies. The Special Representative commended the progress achieved in the governorate and its importance at the national level.In a press conference, the Special Representative expressed the United Nations’ interest in supporting development and service improvement throughout Iraq, including in the promising governorate of Karbala. He emphasized the importance of continued cooperation between the Government of Iraq and the United Nations. The Special Representative also expressed his confidence in Iraq’s ability to advance to new stages of development, noting the human and scientific potential of Iraq’s people both inside and outside the country.Full text of the Special Representative’s remarks available at: https://youtu.be/__fpGS1fLsg

The United Nations in Iraq calls for the protection of, and refraining from targeting, displacement camps - including the Darkar camp for Yazidi IDPs. It calls on the relevant authorities in Iraq to investigate the incident and to take the necessary and urgent measures to prevent the recurrence of such attacks, repair the damage, and to hold accountable those responsible for the attack, which is in clear violation of international law and human rights.