Sarkawt Shamsuldin

Sarkawt Shamsuldin (MPIA, 2020) is currently a member of the Iraqi Parliament (Council of Representatives of Iraq) representing the city of Sulaimaniyah. In 2018 when he was elected, he became the youngest Iraqi MP at the age of 34. Sarkawt is deputy chairman of the Civil Society Committee and member of the Iraq-U.S. Friendship Committee. In Parliament, he worked on anti-corruption legislation that held multiple individuals accountable and helped to return properties to state banks worth tens of millions of USD along with another colleague. He also proposed multiple bills and co-sponsored legislation to promote human rights and freedom of speech in Iraq.

Sarkawt is co-founder of the New Generation Movement, a new political party that campaigns to promote young men and women leaders. He co-found the Future parliamentary caucus where different parliamentarians from various backgrounds united to embrace unity, reject sectarianism, and promote accountability.

Before becoming an MP, Mr. Shamsuldin was the Washington Bureau Chief for NRT TV, and prior to that he worked for multiple local and international NGOs in the United States and Iraq. He also worked with the U.S. Embassy from 2009 to 2013 before coming to the United States where he received a number of awards from the U.S. State Department. Sarkawt is married and lives in Baghdad.