The Czech Republic supports the reform efforts of the Kurdistan Regional Government. Thanks to very good bilateral relations with the Czech Republic based on historical ties and the current level of cooperation, the Kurdistan Region of Iraq is highly interested in the Czech experience.

The Regional government of Masrour Barzani (started on 10 July 2019) is working on diversification of economy, decreasing its dependence on oil revenues and focusing on an open market economy and development of private sector. Society needs to undergo a political, legal and social transformation. The current government is therefore also focusing on streamlining bureaucracy and improving legislation in the areas of investment, banking system and education.

On 24 – 30 October 2020. the Consulate General of the Czech Republic in Erbil implemented at the official Kurdistan request, in cooperation with PhDr. Tomáš Sedláček, PhD and the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister H.E. Mr. Qubad and Talabani, a series of lectures, panels and interviews by Dr. Sedláčka on the topic of transformational experience and diversification of the economy, including issues of streamlining the public sector, supporting local production and the private sector in the Kurdistan Region.

This activity was implemented in the framework of the project "Sharing experiences of the economic transformation of the Czech Republic in the Iraqi Kurdistan Region" with a focus on state capacity building and good governance. The project was funded by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Czech Republic, Department of International Economic Relations, also in connection with the Czech Presidency of the UN Economic and Social Council - ECOSOC.

Throughout the program, Dr. Sedláček met with great interest, positive reactions and lively discussion on the topic of economic transformation, Czech experience, reforms and their application, the current situation in the Region and its needs.

The presentation for senior representatives of the Kurdistan Regional Government and members of the Kurdistan Parliament at the Office of the Government was also highly appreciated.

Talk show of Rudaw TV station in Erbil by leading economic commentator Mohammed Sheikh Fatih with Dr. Sedláček focusing on economic diversification rated as the most watched economic program. Similarly, the reactions to the interview at the Kurdsat TV studio in Sulaimaniyah were very positive.

Great interest continued during the panel discussion (limited by anti-COVID measures) in the oldest university of the Kurdistan Region, the Sulaimaniyah University campus, founded 1968 by former Iraqi President Jalal Talabani.

Lectures, panels and interviews by Dr. Sedláček in the Kurdistan Region significantly strengthened the good name of the Czech Republic, confirmed the very friendly relations and the interest of Kurdistan in development of relations focusing on the economy. This also increases the business potential for active Czech companies and provides a comparative advantage, including opportunities to diversify the hitherto unilaterally oriented economy on oil and gas revenues and to develop the private sector with the participation of Czech companies, or appropriate technology transfer or investment.

In the follow-up of this beneficial activity, in 2021, the Consulate General of the Czech Republic is preparing the continuation of economic development cooperation with a focus on supporting the economic reform process in the Kurdistan Region.