At a Glance

• Deputy PM Qubad Talabani hosted new French Consul General Emmanuel Mignot to strengthen bilateral relations.
• France congratulated Kurdistan on unifying the Peshmerga, noting it will help form the new government cabinet.
• Both sides agreed to boost joint cooperation and partnerships across multiple sectors.
• The talks highlighted the newly launched Kurdish film fund announced during the Cannes Film Festival.

Kurdistan Region Deputy Prime Minister Qubad Talabani reaffirmed the deep historical ties between Kurdistan and France during talks with newly appointed French Consul General Emmanuel Mignot.

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Key Statements and Focus Area

• The Qubad Talabani Media Office stated that he "thanked France for its years of assistance and encouragement toward unifying the Peshmerga forces."
• "A key focus of the meeting centered on the historical ties between Kurdistan and France," according to the office.

Deputy Prime Minister Qubad Talabani hosted the new French Consul General on Monday to review the Kurdistan Region's political landscape and strengthen bilateral ties.

He welcomed the new French Consul to Kurdistan and "wished him success in his new role."

During the discussions, Talabani "expressed his gratitude to the French government and people for their continuous support and solidarity with the Kurdish people and the Kurdistan Region, particularly since 1991."

Both parties agreed on the necessity of strengthening relations across various fields at this stage, "emphasizing joint cooperation to further advance these ties."

Regarding today’s announcement of the comprehensive unification of Peshmerga forces under the KRG ministry, the French Consul General congratulated the people of Kurdistan on the process.

They agreed that this step "could positively influence closer cooperation among political parties to form the new Kurdistan Regional Government cabinet."

The discussions also highlighted the Deputy Prime Minister's recent visit to France and his participation in the Cannes Film Festival, where Talabani noted that the Kurdistan Film Commission had announced the largest-ever Kurdish film fund to advance regional cinema and develop local filmmaking talent.

FYI

Ambassador Emmanuel Mignot is the newly appointed French Consul General to the Kurdistan Region, succeeding Yann Braem, whose diplomatic tenure in Erbil concluded in July 2026.

The diplomatic relationship between the Kurdistan and France remains historically deep, tracing back significantly to 1991 when Paris championed international safe-haven protections for the Kurdish people. 

In recent decades, this alliance has expanded through critical French military training and equipment provided to the Peshmerga during the conflict against ISIS, alongside robust cultural and economic partnerships.

The formal ceremony held in Erbil on Monday marked the historic unification of the Peshmerga forces under a single structure within the Ministry of Peshmerga Affairs. 

Under this comprehensive restructuring, the previously Unit 70 (formerly PUK-affiliated) and Unit 80 (formerly KDP-affiliated) have been dissolved and integrated into the ministry's centralized umbrella. 

The restructured military framework is divided into 11 divisions and organized under two main geographic entities: Regional Command One and Regional Command Two.

Deputy Prime Minister Qubad Talabani congratulated the Kurdistan Peshmerga forces earlier today, promising full support to keep the unified military completely free from political and party interference.

“The unification and institutionalization of the Peshmerga forces, as well as the creation of a trained, professional force, has been a long-standing demand and desire of the people of Kurdistan, and we have been striving for it for many years,” he added.

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