Today, Sunday, September 28, 2025, in the presence of the honorable Masrour Barzani, Prime Minister of the Kurdistan Regional Government, a significant number of government officials, and Mr. Keelan Haji Saeed, President of the Erbil Chamber of Commerce and Industry, along with members of the Chamber's Executive Council, the Safety Guide prepared by the Ministry of Interior of the Kurdistan Regional Government was announced in a special ceremony.
The Prime Minister stated in his speech that this guide will become a foundation and basis for protecting safety in homes, residential areas, warehouses, gas stations, and all projects where citizens live or interact with daily, so that citizens are protected in these places and suffer no physical or material harm.
Here is the text of his speech:
In the name of the Great and Merciful God
Good evening, welcome to all
I am happy to be here and to witness with you this progress that exists in the Ministry of Interior. I congratulate the Ministry of Interior for completing this important work, which is writing and preparing the Safety Guide. This initiative is part of the vision and strategy of the Ninth Cabinet of the Kurdistan Regional Government, aimed at protecting citizens' lives and property, and our main goal is serving the citizens of the Kurdistan Region.
It is a source of joy and congratulation that the Ministry of Interior has implemented important initiatives and major projects in several different sectors to provide the best service to the people of Kurdistan.
This guide will become a foundation and basis for protecting safety in homes, residential areas, warehouses, gas stations, and all projects where citizens live or interact with daily. The purpose of preparing this guide is for citizens to be protected in these places and not suffer any physical or material harm, and to prevent any technical errors so that unwanted disasters do not occur and cause major human and material losses.
The Ministry of Interior is a large and important ministry of the Kurdistan Regional Government, and in addition to being a service ministry that provides several types of services to citizens, it is also a law enforcer and responsible for protecting citizens' security and stability in coordination and cooperation with other related agencies.
Under the dedication and hard work of Ministry of Interior employees and security forces and other security forces, security and stability in the Kurdistan Region have been maintained. In confronting all types of crimes and to protect citizens, we have put the best technology at the service and disposal of Kurdistan Police, so they can more easily and quickly pursue criminals and face them with the law.
The Kurdistan Regional Government, also through the Ministry of Interior, has provided the most advanced technology, tools, and rescue and firefighting equipment for civil defense teams. But undoubtedly, more important than this equipment is how we prevent disasters and limit unwanted incidents like fires and explosions, and this is done through adherence to safety guidelines and guides, which must be fully followed and completely implemented.
Here I find the opportunity appropriate to mention another important initiative and project of the Ministry of Interior, which has led to reducing traffic incidents and protecting the lives of thousands of citizens, which is installing speed recording cameras. The Ministry of Interior began implementing this with a clear vision and strategy. In places where the project has been fully implemented, within one year, traffic incidents decreased by 50% and deaths and serious injuries decreased by more than 60%. It also led to reducing major financial losses to citizens that they previously suffered due to traffic incidents, in addition to the many damages that befell streets and government projects.
The Ministry of Interior also, through another project in driver training through the new driver training system and the new annual license system, has reduced incidents of loss of life, injuries, and financial damages, whose positive results will become more clearly apparent in the coming years.
I ask the beloved citizens of Kurdistan, for the sake of protecting their lives, property, and the safety of citizens, to abide by the laws and guidelines of the Ministry of Interior and Traffic, so that we all stay away from disasters and unwanted incidents.
Dear sisters and brothers:
Kurdistan has witnessed progress in all sectors, and this is commendable and we all take pride in this progress. But we must adapt ourselves and bring Kurdistan's level closer to international standards and criteria, so that Kurdistan's citizens benefit from progress and technology as much as they are protected from dangers.
Similar to this guide we saw today, preparation is being made in other ministries to issue other guides to be put at the service of citizens.
The Kurdistan Regional Government's duty is to work day by day to improve citizens' lives and exhaust itself, but it is very important that beloved citizens cooperate, and without citizens, undoubtedly the government alone cannot succeed.
My request to beloved citizens is to adhere to the guidelines issued, whether for their personal safety or for the safety of family and other citizens, in traffic, on roads, or regarding dealing with fire or any other matter - there are necessary guidelines, I hope they take them into consideration.
I congratulate all employees, officials, and beloved sisters and brothers who truly sacrifice themselves for the safety of other citizens. Here we bow our heads in respect and appreciation to those dear ones who sacrificed themselves, and we congratulate the dear sisters and brothers who continue in their duty and in protecting the safety of all parties.
I am proud of you all, may you be successful and safe, and may our Kurdistan remain prosperous.