ERBIL, Kurdistan Region – In a significant step to boost industrial infrastructure and diversify the region's economy, KRG Prime Minister Masrour Barzani on Wednesday laid the foundation stone for the "Golden Technology 2" project in Erbil.

The Prime Minister commenced his visit with an extensive field tour of the factory's halls and production lines, closely inspecting the operational mechanisms. During a ceremony, he stated that this project is a practical translation of the government's efforts to diversify the regional economy and reduce its overwhelming dependence on imports.

He highlighted the project's significant socio-economic impact, expressing his satisfaction that the factory currently provides jobs for over 100 young men and women. The new expansion, he explained, is set to boost operational capacity, creating 400 job opportunities and increasing production output from 45,000 devices to more than 100,000 per month.

In media remarks, Prime Minister Barzani praised the advanced level achieved by the industrial sector in the Kurdistan Region. He noted that the local production of smartphones and tablets is a promising first step, expressing his ambition for this process to evolve beyond assembly to full-scale, start-to-finish manufacturing within Kurdistan, utilizing local resources and raw materials.

The Prime Minister valued the partnership with global experts, specifically naming Chinese companies ZMC and Transsion. However, he added that the heavy reliance on competent local youth is a particular source of pride, offering hope for a brighter future and alleviating the public sector's burden by directing young people toward promising opportunities in the private sector.

Shifting to diplomacy, the Prime Minister addressed the significance of the new US Consulate building under construction in Erbil. He described it as a clear and tangible indicator of the deep and robust strategic relationship between the Kurdistan Region and the United States. The upcoming inauguration, he said, is proof of the commitment to strengthening this long-term partnership, and he expressed hope for continued and enhanced cooperation that serves the mutual interests of both sides.

On the ongoing financial dispute with the federal government in Baghdad, Prime Minister Barzani stressed that there are no longer any technical or legal justifications for delaying the region's financial entitlements.

He pointed to a stark paradox: while the region is still waiting for funding to pay September salaries, the federal government is already moving to disburse salaries for November. The Prime Minister asserted that the Kurdistan Region has fulfilled all its constitutional and legal obligations, both in non-oil revenues and oil sales, leaving no duty unperformed.

His government, he said, is exerting maximum effort and pressure to ensure all employee financial rights for this year are secured and all overdue salaries are received. He stated that the full responsibility now lies with the federal government to initiate its corresponding obligations to the citizens of Kurdistan, just as it does for all other Iraqis.

Regarding the formation of the tenth ministerial cabinet, the Prime Minister noted that the political landscape has changed following the federal parliamentary elections. He explained that the regional government had striven to finalize the cabinet formation before that electoral milestone, but the desire of other parties to delay created a new reality that must now be dealt with according to current circumstances.

Concluding his visit, the Prime Minister extended his gratitude to the Chinese Consulate, the Investment Board, and the Ministry of Industry for their continuous support and for facilitating procedures aimed at elevating the industrial landscape in Kurdistan.