Dr. Haval Abubakir

ئ Kurdish academic, writer, and public administrator who has served as Governor of Sulaymaniyah since December 2017. Born in Halabja in 1971, he developed an academic career before taking on senior roles in public administration. He studied at the University of Sulaimani, earning a Bachelor’s degree in Kurdish Language and Literature, followed by a Master’s degree in Kurdish Literature and Journalism and a PhD in Modern Literature and Journalism. His doctoral research examined the position of Romanticism in Kurdish poetry, and he later attained the academic rank of Assistant Professor. His background in literature, journalism, and academia has remained an important part of his professional profile alongside his work in government. 

Before becoming governor, Dr. Abubakir held a number of academic and administrative responsibilities and served as President of the Sulaymaniyah Provincial Council from December 2015 to August 2016. He was appointed Governor of Sulaymaniyah in December 2017 and continues to hold the position in 2026. As governor, his responsibilities encompass the administration of one of the Kurdistan Region’s major provinces and coordination with government institutions, municipalities, universities, civil-society organizations, businesses, and international representatives. His public engagements have included initiatives related to higher education, culture, infrastructure, economic development, and international cooperation. In recent years, for example, he has participated in efforts to strengthen academic cooperation between Sulaymaniyah and international universities and in developing institutional and people-to-people relations with China.