Erbil, Kurdistan Region, Iraq (cabinet.gov.krd) – The Kurdistan Regional Government, KRG, has been struggling to provide adequate humanitarian assistance to an overwhelming number of Iraqi internally displaced persons, IDPs, and Syrian refugees. 

However, according to the KRG Ministry of Planning, the Kurdistan Region needs further assistance from United Nation agencies and the international community in order to be able to continue providing such assistance.

Director General for Capital Investment and Budget in the KRG Ministry of Planning, Mr. Zagros Fattah, told the KRG website that the financial burden on the KRG has increased dramatically and it can hardly afford to provide adequate assistance to the already settled over 1.5 million refugees and IDPs, who have sought refuge in the Kurdistan Region.

He warned that additional IDPs are anticipated as military efforts are taken to liberate Mosul and other places currently under the domination of the Islamic State terrorist organization, ISIS. Despite the best efforts made by the KRG, it is beyond its capacity to adequately meet the basic humanitarian needs of all IDPs and refugees.

“Although the Federal Government of Iraq claims it lacks funds to assist the IDPs, it seems there is no political will to do so. Internally displaced families are fragile Iraqi nationals and it is the utmost duty and responsibility of the Iraqi Federal Government to support the KRG in providing assistance to them,” Zagros Fattah said.

Most displaced people arrived in 2014 during a time when the KRG was facing severe financial difficulties. The Iraqi Federal Government stopped providing the KRG its share of national revenue, as earlier agreed.

According to a World Bank report published in February 2015, Baghdad’s refusal to send the Kurdistan Region budget in 2014, combined with the refugee and IDP crisis, adversely impacted all productive and social sectors in Kurdistan Region. "Together the wave of refugees and IDPs exerted a huge pressure on the KRG as it exceeds 28 percent of its own population", said the World Bank report.

The World Bank projected the KRG needs US$ 1.4 billion to stabilize the influx of displaced people at the current level, without allowing for additional IDPs.  If 300,000 additional IDPs flee to the Kurdistan Region this projection could rapidly rise to over US$ 2 billion.

According to the UNHCR Global Appeal 2015 Report, “The escalation of armed conflict across the central governorates of Iraq, and the constantly changing security situation, have resulted in new and secondary movements of internally displaced people across central Iraq and the Kurdistan Region of Iraq”.

In a joint statement by the KRG and United Nations on 26 March 2015, Deputy Special Representative of the UN Secretary-General for the UN Assistance Mission for Iraq as well as UN Resident and Humanitarian Coordinator for Iraq, Lise Grande, stated that, “This is a major humanitarian emergency. It’s imperative that we as the international community support the Kurdistan Regional Government in assisting the victims of ISIL.”

Since the liberation of Tikrit, according to the Head of Emergency Committee in Sulaymanya Governorate, Aziz Sofi, an additional 3,000 families fled from Anbar and sought safety in the governorate.

“Although Tikrit is now liberated, but no family is willing to return to the city due to security concern”, said Sofi.
According to the latest International Organisation for Migration, IOM, report published in April, 28,170 additional IDPs fled to Erbil Governorate and 3,042 to Duhok Governorate. 

Erbil, Kurdistan (DFR.krg.org) – The Head of the KRG Department of Foreign Relations, Minister Falah Mustafa, and the Assistant Head of the DFR, Ms Siham Jabali, welcomed the new UNHCR Coordinator for Kurdistan, Mr Emmanuel Gignac, who arrived in the region last month to begin his mission.

Minister Mustafa welcomed Mr Gignac and congratulated him on his new post, emphasizing the KRG commitment towards strengthening relations with the UNCHR in order to help better assist the refugees from Syria in addition to the internally displaced persons who have arrived in Kurdistan fleeing from the violence in Anbar. He added, “I welcome you to the region and the DFR is ready to help and assist you in any way possible to succeed in your mission.”

The UNHCR Coordinator briefed Minister Mustafa on his activities since arriving in Kurdistan which included visits to three governorates as well as the majority of the refugee camps in the region. He said, ‘There are a lot of challenges here but we appreciate the support that we get from the KRG which has been remarkable. There is a genuine commitment by the authorities here to help the Syrian refugees.’

Minister Mustafa praised the role that the UNHCR is playing and said that the KRG remembers the role they have played in the region from 1991 when their presence acted as a crucial deterrent to attacks from Saddam’s regime. He added, ‘We in the KRG have always looked at the UN as an important partner. We should look at areas where the UNHCR and other sister agencies can help.’

Both sides discussed the challenges and needs of the Syrian refugees living in Kurdistan and discussed various initiatives and ways in which the KRG and UNHCR can work better together. In addition they discussed ways of sending humanitarian assistance into Syria too via Kurdistan as was done towards the end of last year.

Nazem Dabbagh

Masoud Barzani, Kurdistan Region President (KRP), declared the government under his leadership will make use of all instrument for defending Syrian Kurds, are they threatened by Al Qaeda. It should be noted that Barzani’s statements does not means Iraqi Kurds want to enter directly to Syrian civil war, the aid would not be merely military; however it contains humanitarian and spiritual aids. For instance, they could take the ground for Syrian Kurds refugees. Today in Syria, we observe some Salafist, Al Qaeda and Islamic extremist groups have killed Kurds. Therefore Mr Barzani has commanded to investigate this problem by a commission and to declare the exzact results.

After results having declared, Iraqi Kurds proclaimed that they are prepared to help spiritually and operationally the Syrian Kurds under Iraqi central government law. Where as, afterward, Syrian Kurds issues can be protected and their main problems can be presented internationally. In recent days, also problems of Salafists and Al Qaeda in Syria caused other countries react and object to their actions. Extremist actions of Salafist and AlQaeda in several countries, especially now in Syria, have being changed to serious danger, because we has witnessed multifarious terrorist actions in Iraq and Syria. It should be noticed the declaration of getting ready to help is for Iraqi and Syrian Kurds that have the same nationality and language. Of course, irrespective the matter, all mankind and Moslems would react in this situation around the world. Human society should protest Salafist and AL Qaeda actions and not let them to kill the kurds and non-Kurd innocent people. While a Kurd is murdered in the Middle East, other Kurds in the region like Kurds in Iraqi Kurdistan Region are not expected to be indifferent to that. Now the decision made is to protect the Syrian Kurds by diplomatic and civic actions. Today Islamic government of Iraq is overshadowed by Al Qaeda and so we generally can not be indifferent about their activities. About the Syria, it should be considered that Kurds present situation is in parallel with Syrian states interests, because Kurds region in this country has especial situation in wich Syrian political system has not many activities and therefore Syrian Kurds themselves have controlled their region. Thus, we should see what the Syrian government’s policy is about Kurd matter. Whether they try to fulfill the kurd’s civil rights, allegiance and fellow citizenship rights or not. For nobody as Syrian government can perform an act against AL Qaeda and Salafists violent acts to defend Kurd’s rights who are their fellow citizens. 

Ghanoon Newspaper, 21 Mordad 1392 in current Iranian calendar year.

Erbil, Kurdistan Region, Iraq - (DFR.krg.org) – The Italian Consul in Erbil, Mr Carmelo Ficarra, met today with the Head of the KRG Department of Foreign Relations, Minister Falah Mustafa, to discuss a number of issues including the donations provided by the Italian government to the Syrian refugees in Kurdistan.

The meeting was also attended by the Assistant Head of the DFR, Siham Jabali.

The Italian government has donated 300,000 Euros worth of humanitarian aid to the refugees. This shipment comprises of tents, blankets, heaters, utensils and generators. Mr Ficarra said, ‘This is the first installment of Italy’s assistance to the refugees and we will provide further assistance in the New Year.’

Minister Mustafa welcomed Mr Ficarra and expressed his gratitude to the Italian people and government for their generous contributions to the Syrian refugees. He expressed his hope that more countries will follow suit given the cold winter conditions and the urgent need for as much help as possible.

In addition Minister Mustafa thanked the Italian Consular Office and Italian government for the continued support they provide to the KRG Representation in Italy. The Minister also thanked them for helping organise a productive program for the DFR delegation that recently visited Italy and met with senior officials from the public and private sector.

Both sides were happy with the results of the delegation’s visit to Italy and they discussed ways and possibilities of setting up joint programs for further cooperation and exchange visits in the coming year.

Erbil, Kurdistan Region, Iraq (KRG.org) – The Head of the KRG Department of Foreign Relations, Minister Falah Mustafa, today met with the Hungarian Ambassador to Iraq, Dr Tibor Szatmari and Ms Marta Papai, Deputy Head of Department for International Development Assistance at the Hungarian Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

The meeting focused on the needs and situation of the Syrian refugees in Kurdistan as well as ways in which to further enhance mutual relations.

In the meeting which was also attended by the Assistant Head of the DFR, Ms Siham Jabal, Ambassador Szatmari said, ‘Hungary highly values its relationship with Kurdistan and we envision opening up a diplomatic representative office here in the near future.’

The main purpose of the Hungarian delegation’s visit was to provide the Syrian refugees in Kurdistan with humanitarian assistance and to show their commitment to alleviating the suffering that the Syrian people are facing due to the ongoing conflict there. Following the meeting, the Hungarian delegation visited the Darashakran refugee camp in Erbil to provide students with humanitarian assistance.

Minister Mustafa thanked the Hungarian people and government for this step and reiterated the importance of Hungary opening up a Consulate General in the region, as a means towards furthering cooperation between both sides in different sectors. He also referred to the importance of developing MOU’s between Hungarian universities, Chambers of Commerces' with their Kurdish counterparts to enhance sectoral cooperation.

The assistance that has been provided by the Hungarian government comes as a result of urgent appeals by Minister Mustafa to the Hungarian Ambassador for assistance to these refugees, and the DFR continues to appeal to the international community to do more to help the Syrian refugees in Kurdistan. 

Erbil, Kurdistan Region, Iraq – (KRG.org) – Japan’s Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs, Nobuo Kishi, and Ambassador to Iraq, Masato Takaoka, visited the Kurdistan Region this week, bringing with them humanitarian assistance to the Syrian refugees in Kurdistan.