No: 71, 20 April 2026, Regarding the Election of a Turkmen Governor for Kirkuk

Mr. Mehmet Seman Ağaoğlu, Chairman of the Iraqi Turkmen Front, who was elected as the Governor of Kirkuk by the Kirkuk Provincial Council on 16 April 2026, officially assumed his duties today upon receiving his certificate of appointment from the President of Iraq.

The election of a Turkmen Governor for Kirkuk, a province with cultural diversity and plural social fabric, is a highly significant and historic development in terms of inclusivity, fair representation, and consolidation of social peace. We also view this as a long-overdue acknowledgement of a legitimate right for our Turkmen kinsmen, who are an integral component of Iraq and Kirkuk.

The rotational sharing of high-level administrative positions in Kirkuk among its components on the basis of consensus is a fair and equitable gain not only for the Turkmen but for all components that make up Kirkuk.

We hope that this development will contribute to the peace, security, and prosperity of Iraq and the people of Kirkuk.