Hoshyar Zebari is a prominent Iraqi–Kurdish politician who has played a central role in Iraq’s post-2003 political landscape. He served as the country’s Minister of Foreign Affairs from 2003 to 2014, becoming one of the longest-serving foreign ministers in Iraq’s history. In 2014, he was appointed Deputy Prime Minister, and later served as Minister of Finance until 2016. Zebari joined the Kurdistan Democratic Party (KDP) in 1979. In the 1980s, he fought as a Peshmerga fighter during the Iraqi–Kurdish conflict against Saddam Hussein’s regime. His influence within the party grew, and he became a member of both the Central Committee and the Political Bureau. In 1988, Zebari was entrusted with the KDP’s foreign relations portfolio, representing Kurdish interests in the United States and the United Kingdom. By 1992, he had become a member of the executive committee of the Iraqi National Congress (INC), and in 1999, he was appointed to its Presidential Council. Hoshyar Zebari is regarded as one of the most influential Kurdish figures in Iraq’s modern history. Through his roles in diplomacy, finance, and governance, he has been a key actor in Iraq’s efforts to stabilize its institutions and secure international recognition in the post-Saddam era.
The BKI’s mission is to increase public awareness of Kurdish issues, protect human, cultural, and political rights throughout Kurdistan, support and develop Kurdistan’s civil society, improve and increase access to Kurdish cultural and educational resources, and advocate for effective solutions to Kurd-related issues. The Saladin Institute works in a variety of ways to achieve its mission. It conducts research on Kurdish issues, publishes reports and articles, organizes conferences and events, and provides educational resources on Kurdish culture and history. The BKI also advocates for Kurdish rights at the UK. government and international levels.