Kurdistan National Congress

FINAL STATEMENT OF THE CONFERENCE FOR KURDISH NATIONAL REPRESENTATION AT THE UNITED NATIONS

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At the invitation of the Kurdistan Nation Congress (KNK), representatives of Kurdish parties, organisations, and institutions from the four parts of Kurdistan and from abroad, together with independent experts and friends of the Kurds, gathered on 3 October 2026, in the city of Brussels, for a Conference for Kurdish National Representation at the United Nations. After extensive discussions, we, the conference participants, present this statement to the public.

Kurdistan is located in the western part of the Asian continent, divided between Turkey, Iran, Iraq, and Syria, and its geography covers approximately five hundred thousand square kilometers. The Kurdish people are ancient inhabitants of this land. They have lived here for thousands of years, have given their name to it, and for more than a thousand years this land has been called Kurdistan.

The Kurdish population is close to sixty million. Despite their significant number, Kurds are not recognised or represented as a nation in international organisations. The United Nations exemplifies this. Almost all nations are represented there, yet the Kurdish nation is not mentioned. The Kurds are not officially recognised as a nation, and there is no representative for the Kurdish nation in this organisation.

This situation in the life of the Kurdish Nation and all the peoples of Kurdistan has become a major shortcoming and the basis for conflicts and challenges. The KNK raised the issue of national recognition at its 24th General Assembly (6-7 June 2026). After extensive discussion, it was decided to apply to the United Nations for the Kurds to be recognised as a nation, like other nations, and to be accepted as non member state observers in UN-affiliated bodies.  Following this decision, meetings were held with a group of experts to get their opinions, and the KNK delivered a letter to the UN Secretary-General, Mr. António Guterres.

This issue is a serious one, and it cannot be solved by a few meetings and some letters. The KNK cannot handle it on its own. All Kurds need to work together at national and international levels. We need leaders, a president, and representatives. All parts of Kurdish society need to come together to form committees and discuss this issue. Then we can make decisions. We need unifying meetings, activities, and strong campaigns. This conference puts this important issue on the agenda of Kurdistan and of the world. We are at the beginning of a long campaign and will do everything we can to make it succeed.

As participants in the Conference for Kurdish National Representation at the United Nations, we agreed on the following points:

• The Conference recognises the significance of the work, decisions and leadership of the Kurdistan National Congress (KNK) in this regard and expresses its full support.
• The conference is adamant that the representation of the Kurdish nation at the United Nations as the primary task of Kurdish diplomacy, prioritising it over all parties, organisations, institutions and individuals.
• The Conference considers the work to establish representation of the Kurdish Nation at the United Nations to be a long-term task, and not just the work of one organisation, but a national and patriotic one.
• The Conference has decided to establish a committee under the name of “Committee for the Establishment of Kurdish National Representation at the United Nations
• The Committee for the Establishment of Kurdish National Representation at the United Nations will be made up of representatives of Kurdish parties, organisations, and institutions, as well as independent figures and experts. It will work in coordination with all Kurdish parties, organisations, and institutions.
• The committee will launch a broad signature campaign, collecting millions of signatures from across Kurdistan and abroad to present to the UN.
• The conference calls on all Kurds to take their place in this effort, to support the committee and to join this campaign.
• The conference is clear that the establishment of a Kurdish National Representation at the United Nations is a national and patriotic task.
• Recognising the vital importance of strong national unity, the conference calls on all people of Kurdistan, along with their parties, organisations and institutions, to convene a National Conference without delay.
• The Conference calls on the United Nations to recognise this demand from the Kurdish people and acknowledge them as a nation. The Conference further calls on the United Nations toaccept Kurds as observers in UN-affiliated organisations. The Conference calls on all UN member states to welcome these demands positively, to put this issue on the UN agenda, and to vote in its favour.
• The conference underlines that resolution of the Kurdish question and representation of the Kurdish Nation at the UN are not contrary to the interests of Turkey, Iran, Iraq, or Syria, and notes that equality and peaceful resolution bring mutual benefits. The leaders of Turkey, Iran, Iraq, and Syria should not view the issue of Kurdish representation at the UN as in any way an act against their own states and should not stand in its way.

 

Conference for Kurdish National Representation at the United Nations

5 October 2026

 

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