Kurdistan Region President Masoud Barzani met with a senior UK government delegation to discuss the humanitarian crisis facing the Kurdistan Region and the threat of ISIS terrorism.

Secretary of State for International Development Justine Greening, and the Parliamentary Under Secretary of State at the Foreign and Commonwealth Office, Tobias Ellwood, expressed UK government’s support and solidarity with the people and government of the KRG, and added that their government would continue to support the KRG in dealing with the humanitarian crisis facing the Region and also militarily in confronting the ISIS terrorists.

Secretary of State for International Development Justine Greening praised the generosity of the people and government of KRG for sheltering and helping large numbers of Iraqi IDPs and Syrian refuges who have sought refuge in Kurdistan. She said that the UK government has committed to provide 23 million British pounds in aid for these IDPs and refugees.

The UK ministers also hailed the progress and development that has been achieved by the KRG over the past ten years, and describing this as a shining example in Iraq, they added the UK government would continue to support this development and progress.

For his part, President Barzani expressed his gratitude for this visit and show of solidarity from the UK government. He stated that the KRG needs international assistance to look after some 1.2 million IDPs and refugees in Kurdistan. The KRG also needs military assistance to confront the ISIS terrorists, added the President.

President Barzani and the UK ministers also discussed the government formation prospects in Baghdad and both sides stressed that meaningful change is required if the many challenges facing the country are to be addressed. The President said the Kurds are seriously working with other sides to form a genuinely inclusive government in Baghdad as soon as possible.

Erbil, Kurdistan, Iraq (DFR.KRG.org) – Hungary’s Ambassador to Iraq, Mr Tibor Szatmari, met with the Head of the KRG Foreign Relations Department, Minister Falah Mustafa, to express his government’s support for Kurdistan.

Ambassador Szatmari said that Hungary understands the gravity of the humanitarian situation facing Kurdistan, applauding KRG efforts to provide shelter and basics needs to the hundreds of thousands of internally displaced people (IDPs) taking refuge in the Region.

The Ambassador briefed Minister Mustafa on the humanitarian assistance provided by Hungary to IDPs and Syrian refugees currently in the Kurdistan. Last week, Hungary distributed $60,000 of humanitarian aid to IDPs at Saint Joseph Church in Ainkawa and to refugees at the Bahirka and Darashakran refugee camps.

He noted that Kurdistan shoulders the burden of a humanitarian emergency as well as a fight against an international terrorist organisation; therefore, the international community is responsible for providing humanitarian aid and acting to combat terrorism.

Minister Mustafa expressed his appreciation for the humanitarian assistance provided by Hungary. He noted that this support demonstrates friendship and partnership, and the people and the government of Kurdistan are grateful. He explained the importance of continuous support to alleviate the humanitarian emergency.

Kurdistan Region President Masoud Barzani today met with Sweden’s Foreign Minister Carl Bidt and EU Commissioner for International Cooperation, Humanitarian Aid and Crisis Response, Kristalina Georgieva.

In a meeting in his office in Salahaddin, President Barzani called for more humanitarian aid from the international community, saying that hosting and providing for the basic needs of more than 1.5 million IDPs and Syrian refugees in Kurdistan is beyond the capacity of the KRG. The President thanked political and humanitarian support from EU countries but added that much more needs to be done.

President Barzani also said that the visits by European officials and their public messages of support gives the people and government of Kurdistan hope and confidence to stand firm against ISIS terrorism and in providing aid and shelter for the IDPs.

Swedish Foreign Minister Bildt expressed his country’s full support for the KRG in its fight against the ISIS and said that all EU countries are intent to help the KRG in dealing with the large number of IDPs and that they have also agreed on a long-term strategy to confront the ISIS threat. He said that ISIS is a threat to the whole world.

EU Commissioner for International Cooperation, Humanitarian Aid and Crisis Response, Kristalina Georgieva also praised the KRG for its generosity towards the IDPs and refugees and said that the EU would continue to provide humanitarian in Kurdistan for as long as it is necessary.

President Barzani agreed with Foreign Minister Bildt that forming a truly inclusive, representative government in Baghdad would constitute a major step forward to defeating the ISIS threat, but added that this is the last chance. He attributed the current dire state of affairs to the wrong policies of outgoing Prime Minister Noori Maliki. 

Norway’s Foreign Minister Børge Brende called President Masoud Barzanion on Monday to express his country’s support and solidarity for the KRG in its fight against ISIS terrorists. He also praised the peshmerga forces for their bravery and recent victories against the terrorist group. 

President Barzani thanked the Norwegian foreign minister and said that on behalf of the free world, the people of Kurdistan are proudly fighting a terrorist state, which has gained the advanced weapons from the armies of both Iraq and Syria. 

During their telephone conversation, they also discussed the plight of hundreds of thousands of IDP and refugees who have sought refuge in Kurdistan. On this, the President said that the KRG is now providing for the needs of more than 1.5 million people. 

Erbil, Kurdistan, Iraq (KRG.org) – Prime Minister Nechirvan Barzani on Wednesday met the Governor of Duhok and administrative officials from the province to follow-up the situation of displaced people arriving from Sinjar, the Ninevah plains, and other areas.

The Governor of Duhok presented a summary of the situation of the internally displaced people (IDPs), most of whom are Yezidis, Christians, and members of other ethnic and religious minority communities from Sinjar and the Ninevah plains. The Governor noted that authorities and citizens in Duhok have done everything possible to assist the IDPs, but because of the vast number of displaced people, much more humanitarian aid is needed.

The Minister of Finance and Economy said that thus far only the KRG had shouldered the expenditures for assisting the displaced families, along with aid provided by the people of Kurdistan. He said that no other party had yet provided financial support. The Minister suggested that the situation would be dealt with as an exceptional circumstance in terms of regular financial guidelines, adding that the $15 million allocated by the Prime Minister had already reached the Duhok governorate.

Prime Minister Barzani emphasised that the KRG will continue to mobilise all efforts to support IDPs. He decided to allocate another $10 million in aid, in addition to the previous $15 million, to support the displaced people.

The Prime Minister pointed to the importance of meeting basic needs in the initial phases, to be followed by the provision of necessary services in camps to be built in some areas of the city. He conveyed his government’s gratitude for all the support and aid provided to the victims by the people of the Kurdistan Region and Kurds everywhere. He said that these loyal, patriotic, and humanitarian gestures are worthy of commendation.

The Minister of Planning presented a summary of the KRG’s coordinated efforts with international organisations assisting the government in providing aid to the IDPs. He said that the scale of the crisis has prompted many international humanitarian organisations to come to Kurdistan to help the displaced.

Prime Minister Barzani discussed the latest developments and highlighted the fact that the KRG has substantial international support. He stressed that the Peshmerga forces will defeat the terrorists and prevail with the arrival of required weapons and ammunition. However, the legacy of the barbaric acts committed by the terrorists will remain in the hearts of the victims of these areas and of the people of Kurdistan. Time, sensitivity, patience, and treatment are required in order to recover.

Salahadin, Kurdistan Region of Iraq, (krp,org)- President Masoud Barzani received cardinal Fernando Feloni, the special envoy of His Holiness, Pope Francis. During the meeting President Barzani warmly welcomed the message of brotherhood and coexistence from His Holiness, Pope Francis and added that the position of the Kurdistan Region has always been clear, and that is, "we will all either live together with dignity." President Barzani also spoke of the extreme cruelty of the terrorists of the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria, ISIS, adding that the Kurdistan Region will continue to fight this phenomenon until it ceases to exist.

President Barzani and Cardinal Feloni spoke of the number of IDPs in the Kurdistan Region which has now reached well over one million persons. Cardinal Feloni expressed the gratitude of His Holiness, Pope Francis, through a letter to President Barzani regarding the kindness displayed in handling the IDP crisis.

Salahaddin, Kurdistan Region of Iraq (KRP,org) – Since the start of the campaign by the terrorist group ISIS to attack the Kurdistan Region last week, many countries have expressed their support to the KRG in its fight against the terrorism, and have also offered humanitarian aid to the tens of thousands of IDPs who have sought refuge in Kurdistan. 

US Vice President Biden, Germany Foreign Minister Frank-Walter Steinmeier, UK Foreign Secretary Philip Hammond, and Italian Foreign Minister Federica Mogherini all called President Barzani this week to show the support and solidarity of their countries for the Kurdistan Region in its fight against the terrorist group ISIS. 

French Foreign Minister Laurent Fabius visited Erbil on Sunday and met with President Barzani. In a joint press conference following their meeting, President Barzani thanked the Unites States and France and other countries that have offered their support to the Kurdistan Region.