In a groundbreaking development, senior military officials from the United States and the Kurdistan Region convened the inaugural Peshmerga Executive Steering Committee meeting in Erbil on Monday. The meeting, aimed at evaluating progress on reforms within the Kurdish forces, was held at the Kurdistan Region Presidency headquarters, as outlined in a joint statement released by the Pentagon and the Kurdistan Region Presidency on Tuesday.

The committee's focus was to assess the advancements in Peshmerga reform objectives outlined in the U.S. Department of Defense (DoD) – Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG) Ministry of Peshmerga Affairs Memorandum of Understanding (MOU), which had been renewed in September 2022.

Originally signed in 2016 during the presidency of Masoud Barzani, leader of the Kurdistan Democratic Party (KDP), the MOU serves as a framework for cooperation between the U.S. and the Kurdish Peshmerga. The United States has been a key supporter, providing multiple rounds of military aid over the years, especially during the fight against the Islamic State that began in 2014.

According to the joint statement, the committee reviewed the progress made towards Peshmerga reform and set milestones for the upcoming year as part of a shared, long-term commitment to unify Peshmerga forces under the Ministry of Peshmerga Affairs (MoPA). The ultimate goal is to build a professional and capable force to ensure the lasting defeat of ISIS.

Highlighting significant progress in financial and force structure reform within the Peshmerga ministry, the statement emphasized the anticipation of continued advancement in reform efforts outlined in the 2022 MOU.

"The United States stands with the people of Iraq, including the people of the Kurdistan Region, as they build a strong, stable, and sovereign Iraq," the joint statement affirmed.

It's noteworthy that, despite being nominally under the authority of the ministry, control of the two largest Peshmerga units remains divided between the Patriotic Union of Kurdistan (PUK) and the Kurdistan Democratic Party (KDP). The ongoing collaboration and commitment outlined in the committee meeting reflect a joint effort to strengthen the Peshmerga forces and enhance stability in the region.