Kurdistan Engineers Union opens long-delayed second congress in Erbil

ERBIL, Iraq — The Kurdistan Region Engineers Union opened its second congress in Erbil on Friday, more than 26 years after its founding meeting in 2000. Under the union's statutes, congresses are required every six years, but the second session had been repeatedly postponed. The congress is being attended by 207 members from across the Kurdistan Region. Twenty-seven candidates are competing for seats on the union's committees, with eight full members and two alternates to be selected. Union rules require that at least one candidate be a woman. Five candidates have so far declared for the union presidency. Organizers expect the congress to conclude in the evening with the completion of elections for the executive board and the presidency. The union, which represents engineers in the Kurdistan Region, last convened in its inaugural session in 2000. No further details on the agenda were immediately available.