Amman Center for Human Rights Studies Dear Madame Chair, the Kurdish people sound out as one of the largest ethnic groups in the world without a nation state. Despite their distinct linguistic, cultural, and historical identity, they remain deprived of their right to self-determination, a fundamental principle of international law. The Kurdish people are an ethnic group living in areas spanning Turkey, Iraq, Iran, and Syria. Their population is estimated at more than 15 million. As well known, the roots of the Kurdish question extend back to the period following World War I, when the Sykes-Picot Agreement in 1916 and the Treaty of Lausanne in 1923 divided Kurdish lands among 4 countries without recognizing the Kurds right to establishing an independent political identity. In Iraq, the Kurdish region enjoys broad autonomy, under the 2005 Iraqi constitution. In Syria, an autonomous administration has existed in northern and eastern Syria since 2012. In Turkey and Iran, the Kurds continue to face political and security challenges in their pursuit of recognition of their cultural and political rights. Therefore, the Amman Center recommends that your esteemed Council convene a special conference on the challenges facing the Kurdish people’s right to self-determination, in accordance with legal principles and free from political interests. This way, we can secure peace and development in the region. Thank you.