New York, USA (dfr.gov.krd) - In New York this week, Minister Falah Mustafa Bakir, Head of the Department of Foreign Relations, discussed Kurdistan Region's urgent need for basic humanitarian needs at a meeting with Manuel Sager, State Secretary and Director General of the Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation.

Minister Bakir gave a detailed account of the current situation in the Kurdistan Region, focusing on the latest humanitarian, economic, political developments and the ongoing fight against the terrorists of ISIS.

The Head of Foreign Relations highlighted the financial hardships that the KRG is facing due to the drop in oil prices, the impact of  1.8 million Iraqi displaced people and Syrian refugees on the Region’s stretched resources.

Minister Bakir called for continued international support for  Kurdistan in humanitarian, political and military spheres and shed light on the KRG’s efforts to gather international support to recognize the genocide that the Yezidis suffered at the hands of ISIS.

Mr Sager said that the Kurdistan Region has friends in the international community and appreciated the KRG’s open-door policy for the displaced and refugees.

He reiterated Switzerland’s support for Kurdistan on the humanitarian field, especially through UN agencies and the International Committee of the Red Cross.

Minister Bakir and Secretary Sager agreed on continued communication and cooperation between both sides.

New York, USA (dfr.gov.krd) - A Kurdistan Regional Government delegation was in New York this week during the United Nations 70th General Assembly to highlight the ongoing fight against ISIS and the humanitarian and economic challenges facing Kurdistan.

The delegation was led by Minister Falah Mustafa Bakir, Head of the Department of Foreign Relations. The KRG's Representative to the United States, Bayan Sami Abdul Rahman, accompanied the minister, along with Assistant Head of the DFR Siham Mamand and Advisor at the DFR Rawand Darwesh.

They met ministers and senior officials of various countries, representatives of the UN, the media and other organisations to update them on recent developments and to urge them to support the UN's call for more funds to help the displaced people who fled ISIS and are sheltering in Kurdistan and other parts of Iraq. The Kurdistan Region is sheltering 1.8million displaced Iraqis and Syrian refugees. This, combined with the fall in oil prices and the costly war against ISIS, are impacting services to the host and refugee communities and hampering Kurdistan’s vibrant economy.

The delegation also called for an investigation into the horrific events of last year in which the Yezidis and other minorities were targeted by ISIS terrorists in what amounts to genocide.

Minister Bakir spoke at a high level meeting at the UN urging friendly nations to do more to support Kurdistan with the humanitarian crisis.

Minister Bakir told the meeting, 'We support the efforts of the United Nation and the international NGOs working with us but indeed we need to do more in order to provide food, shelter and education in order to give them (the displaced) hope, otherwise this will be very difficult for us to cope with,” he said.

The KRG Minister made this intervention at a special UN session that focused on the humanitarian situation and its broader impact on Iraq. Leading the event, Sarah Sewall, US Undersecretary of State for Civilian Security, Democracy and Human Rights, outlined the threat to the displaced because the UN has struggled to raise the funds needed to continue its humanitarian programmes in Kurdistan and the rest of Iraq.

As she appealed to the international community to fund the UN’s programmes, Ms Sewall announced that the United States will contribute an additional $56m in humanitarian assistance for Iraq, bringing the US’s total contribution to Iraq, including Kurdistan, to $540m since start of fiscal 2014.

Several speakers praised the government of Iraq, the KRG and the people of Kurdistan for their compassion towards the displaced population. Iraq's Minister for Displacement and Migration Jasim Al-Jaf. Made a keynote speech at the which was attended by the representatives of several international organisations as well as diplomats.

Erbil, Kurdistan, Iraq (KRG.org) – Today marks the 13th anniversary of the terrorist attacks on the World Trade Center in New York. These attacks targeted innocent civilians and shocked the world, and the world responded with widespread condemnation and action. The United States reacted by showing its might and the resolve of its proud nation.

The US-led international war against Al-Qaeda targeted terrorists wherever they were, ultimately resulting in the capture and death of many of the organisation’s leaders, including Osama Bin Laden.

Today, a group with the same ideology that spawned Al-Qaeda, employing extreme and barbaric tactics, is targeting the people of Syria, Iraq and the entire region, as well as attempting to disrupt the peace and stability of Kurdistan. Whereas Al-Qaeda hid in caves and was based underground, members of the so-called Islamic State, which is neither Islamic nor a State, walk freely in cities inside Iraq and Syria, causing mayhem, terrorising people and threatening civilians and states alike.

On this occasion, I would like to praise President Barack Obama for the powerful speech he delivered yesterday in which he explicitly stated that with the help of its allies, the United States will destroy this terrorist group. The Kurdistan Region attaches great importance to its friendship and partnership with the United States. After the September 11th attacks and throughout Operation Iraqi Freedom, the people and the government of the Kurdistan Region have stood firmly and proudly with our American allies. We extend the same hand of friendship today in this new campaign to eradicate a serious threat to regional and international security.

We have made clear our intention to work with the United States to bring about a democratic and federal Iraq as outlined by the Iraqi Constitution. At the same time, we reaffirm our commitment to the United States to combat the scourge of terrorism. Today we are proud to be fighting terrorism on the front lines, on behalf of the world, and we stand ready to continue this fight for the sake of peace and stability.

We once again express our condolences to the families of those killed in the heinous acts of September 11th, and to those who have lost their lives fighting for freedom and democracy – Iraqi, Kurdish, American, British, or of any other nationality. We pay tribute to those who have sacrificed their sons and daughters so that others may enjoy better, safer lives.

We reassure the American people that just as the United States has stood with us during our most difficult times, we will stand with you in the global fight against the culture of barbarism, ignorance, and intolerance that defines terrorism.

Deputy Prime Minister Qubad Talabani
Kurdistan Regional Government
11 September 2014