Qubad Talabani

Quba was raised by his grandparents. His grandfather was Ibrahim Ahmed, a well-known novelist and poet and prominent patron of the modern Kurdish cultural movement. His grandmother, Galawezh Ahmed, is a novelist and her family was involved in Kurdish political movement for decades.

Qubad Talabani is the son of President Jalal Talabani, the late Kurdish statesman and founder of the Patriotic Union of Kurdistan (PUK), one of the major political parties in the Kurdistan Region of Iraq. The Talabani family has played a crucial role in the Kurdish struggle for autonomy and recognition. He was The President of federal Iraq between 2005 and 2014.

His mother, Hero Ibrahim Ahmed, is one of the region’s most intellectual and influential female figures. She participated in the Kurdish revolution in the mountains of Kurdistan alongside her husband. Following the 1991 uprising, she played an active role in promoting and organizing the cultural movement in Kurdistan, founding the Kurdistan Save Children (KSC). She also found several media outlets including Khak TV and Kurdsat and served as a member of the political bureau of the Patriotic Union of Kurdistan.

Talabani’s older brother is Bafel Jalal Talabani, the president of the Patriotic Union of Kurdistan. He has an influential role in the political process in the Kurdistan Region and in Iraq.

Qubad’s early life was shaped by the political landscape of Kurdistan. He grew up witnessing the challenges and aspirations of the Kurdish people, contributing to his eventual involvement in politics. He pursued his education in UK, earning a degree in mechanical Engineering from Kingston University in London.

Qubad Talabani’s political career gained momentum as he became actively engaged in the PUK and Kurdistan Regional Government. Over the years, he held various positions within the government and (PUK).

From 2001 to 2003, Talabani worked as a special assistant to the Representative of the Patriotic Union of Kurdistan in Washington D.C., and later as the Deputy PUK Representative. In 2003, he returned to Kurdistan for one year and served as the PUK’s Senior Foreign Relations officer to the coalition forces and the Coalition Provisional Authority. He also acted as an association officer between the PUK and U.S. military forces in Iraq. He was the leading negotiator in drafting of the Transitional Administrative Law (TAL), the first Iraqi constitution after overthrowing Saddam Hussein’s regime.

In April 2004, Qubad Talabani returned to the USA for his role as the Representative of the PUK and Kurdistan. After the unification of the two administrations in Kurdistan region in 2006, Talabani was appointed as the first representative of the Kurdistan Region in the U.S.; until 2012.

During his role, Talabani founded the Kurdish-American Committee in US Congress on May 23, 2008 with the support and participation of 52 congressmen, which secured a continuous cooperation and support of United States to the Kurdish Diaspora and Kurdistan Region.

He was also played a big part in establishing the Kurdish-American Business Council in November 2011. The council’s mission is to facilitate trade for US companies while strengthening US private sector relations with the Kurdistan Region. This council is still active.

In his role as Deputy Prime Minister, Qubad Talabani has been involved in various initiatives aimed at promoting economic development, foreign relations, and good governance in the Kurdistan Region. He has also been a prominent advocate for the rights and aspirations of the Kurdish people on both the national and international level.

In KRG’s Seventh cabinet in 2012, Talabani was the head of The Coordination and Monitoring Department; it’s main responsibilities being evaluating the Kurdish government’s affairs and facilitating and creating coordination between ministries and institutions of the executive branch.

In 2014, he was appointed the Deputy Prime Minister of the KRG and was involved in reform movements. His first executive actions including implementing biometric registration systems for government employees. His appointment as Deputy Prime Minister in June 2014 overlapped with several crises facing the region. On one hand, a difficult financial crisis had erupted as the federal government ceased to send the Kurdistan Region’s share of budget. In parallel, Qubad immediately focused on the threat of ISIS early in his tenure.

As a result of his successful administrative service within government, Qubad Talabani earned the votes of more than 180,000 voters in the 2018 election. He was elected as Deputy Prime Minister for the second term in the ninth cabinet. Throughout his involvement in politics, Talabani has been an example to unique concept of partisan and governmental work, based on his belief that the government’s job is not the goal of political settlements, but rather serving the people’s demands.

Over the past few years, Qubad’s efforts have focused on pivotal social issues, such as his determination to combat violence against women, empowering youth and entrepreneurship and supporting the growth of agricultural and tourism sectors. He has also worked on environmental issues with decision-makers to reduce the impact of climate change in Kurdistan, Iraq and the region.

As a result of these non-traditional visions, Qubad Talabani has become an activist in society, and an influential figure in formulating strategic policies relating to the interests and future of the Kurdistan region.

Talabani is passionate about football and a loyal fan of Manchester United.

Qubad Talabani is married to Sherri Kraham, a lawyer, and The President and Executive Director of SEED Foundation. The couple has two children, Ari and Lara.