On Thursday, August 3, AUIS hosted a warm farewell on its Sulaimani campus for U.S. Consul General Irvin Hicks, Jr., who is a second generation career member of the Senior Foreign Service. The Consul General joined the U.S Consulate team in August 2022 after serving as the Senior Advisor to the Bureau of International Narcotics and Law Enforcement Affairs, the Lead Negotiator with the Bureau of Political-Military Affairs Office of Security Negotiation and Agreements, the Foreign Policy Advisor for the Combined Joint Task Force Horn of Africa based in Djibouti, and the Charge and Deputy Chief of Mission for the U.S Mission in Mauritania. Consul General Hicks played an active role in U.S. relations with the Kurdistan Region of Iraq and has been a strong supporter of AUIS. The farewell was attended by prominent members of the Sulaymaniyah and Halabja regions, including Mr. Bafel Talabani, current President of the Patriotic Union of Kurdistan political party.