Brussels, Belgium (krg.org) – Minister Falah Mustafa, the Head of the Department of Foreign Relations, addressed a conference in the European Parliament on human rights in Kurdistan and Iraq during a two-day official visit to Brussels this week.

Minister Mustafa also met with members of the European Parliament,  government officials from the European Union and Belgium and visited both the Iraqi Embassy and Kurdistan Regional Government Representation to the EU. He was accompanied by the KRG Representative to the EU, Delavar Ajgeiy.

At the European Parliament, Minister Mustafa met separately with the Leader of the Progressive Alliance of Socialists and Democrats, MEP Hannes Swoboda. He aslo met MEP Charles Tannock who is the Conservative Foreign Affairs Spokesman in the European Parliament. In both meetings Minister Mustafa discussed a number of issues related to developments in Kurdistan, Iraq and the wider region. He also asked for their assistance in working towards recognition by the European Parliament of the crimes committed by the former regime against the Kurds as genocide.

Minister Mustafa also sought ways in which relations between the European Parliament and the Kurdistan Region can be strengthened. In his meeting with MEP Tannock, Minister Mustafa said, ‘We would like to see increased engagement from the European Parliament to help Iraq move in the right direction. We also hope that a friendship group focused on Kurdistan can be established inside the European Parliament.’ He reiterated the same message during his meeting with MEP Swoboda.

In his visit to the European Union offices, Minister Mustafa met with a group of officials from the European External Action Service headed by the Director for North Africa, Middle East, Arabian Peninsula, Iran and Iraq, Cristian Berger. During the meeting Minister Mustafa briefed the delegation on the significance of Iraq´s parliamentary elections, the current issues between Erbil and Baghdad, the Kurdistan Region´s relationship with Turkey and the need for the European Union to be engaged with Iraq.

Minister Mustafa also highlighted the importance of the EU having a representative office in Kurdistan, as well assistance from the EU to ensure that the Kurdistan Region is included and benefits from the cooperation agreements signed between Iraq and the EU. Mr Berger asked about the latest developments regarding Syria stressing that on a humanitarian level, this is the largest assistance operation the EU has ever been involved in.  Minister Mustafa highlighted the plight of the Syrian refugees in Kurdistan and asked for more humanitarian support for those refugees.

During the second day of the visit, Minister Mustafa attended a conference organised by the Chairman of the European Parliament’s Delegation for Relations with Iraq, Struan Stevenson MEP, and participated in two separate panel discussions on human rights in Iraq as well as in Kurdistan.

During the conference, which was attended by various representatives from Iraq, the Head of the DFR presented a speech on the latest developments in Kurdistan as well as the KRG's vision for the future. In his speech, the Minister said, ‘We in Kurdistan are proud of our culture of tolerance and peaceful coexistence. Respect for human rights is the guarantee for peaceful coexistence, progress and prosperity for people living together. This is what we have done in the Kurdistan Region.’

The KRG delegation also visited the Belgian Foreign Ministry where they met with the Head of the Iraq desk, Luc Truyens, and other officials, where they discussed a number of issues including the similar models of governance that exist in both Iraq and Belgium in terms of federalism and the devolution of powers from the centre to the provinces and regions. Minister Mustafa said, ‘We want to learn from other countries' experiences of federalism and especially Belgium, a country which like Iraq, is comprised of different ethnicities.’

Minister Mustafa also made a courtesy call on the Iraqi Embassy where he was received by Ambassador Mohammed Humaimidi. They discussed the latest political and security developments in Iraq, the talks between Baghdad and Erbil, and the upcoming Iraqi elections.

Minister Mustafa visited the KRG Representation in Belgium and was received by the KRG Representative, Delavar Ajgeiy, and met with all the employees at the Representation. Minister Mustafa thanked the KRG Representation team members for their hard work and efforts in conveying the KRG's policies to the European Union and expressed his hope that they would continue this work and aim to work towards strengthening relations with the European Union, the European Parliament and the Belgian government.

Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain – (KRG.org) – Minister Falah Mustafa, Head of the Department of Foreign Relations, yesterday addressed diplomats, government officials and academics at the Barcelona Centre for International Affairs (CIDOB), a leading Spanish think tank in the capital of the Catalonia Region. The visit to Barcelona is part of the minister's tour of Europe which has so far included Brussels.

This the first time that a Kurdistan Regional Government official has spoken at the CIDOB. The discussion was titled ‘A Changing Middle East: Views from Iraqi Kurdistan’ and the Minister was accompanied by the KRG Representative to Spain, Daban Shadal‎.

The Minister began by briefly introducing the history of the Kurdish people prior to the fall of the Baathist regime in 2003. He went on to talk about the achievements of the region in the past decade and the many challenges that remain.

Minister Mustafa described the impact of the Arab Spring on the whole Middle East and in particular the Kurdistan Region, which neighbours Syria and has given shelter to about 250,000 refugees from there.

Minister Mustafa said there is no military solution to the conflict in Syria and that the KRG supports the rights of Syria’s Kurds. The KRG has encouraged them to unite under one umbrella so that they can ensure their rights and demands are met in a new Syria. The Minister added that this conflict and others are part of a wider regional power struggle.

The Minister said that Kurdistan's security and stability has resulted in refugees fleeing there, not only from Syria but also from other parts of Iraq where both Christians and Arabs have faced violence.

He touched on Kurdistan's internal political and economic developments, as well as aspects of the social and cultural elements of life in the region.

Minister Mustafa spoke about relations with Kurdistan’s neighbors, highlighting the progress that has been made in relations with Turkey. He said, ‘Now we see Turkey openly discussing the Kurdish issue and President Barzani’s recent historic visit to Diyarbakir, where he spoke in Kurdish with Turkish Prime Minister Erdogan, was evidence of how far our relationship has come.’

Discussing KRG relations with Baghdad, the Minister said, 'The upcoming Iraqi parliamentary elections on April 30th will be a turning point and very important and critical for us.’ He said that the disputes between Erbil and Baghdad cover a range of issues that need to be resolved for the sake of all Iraqis.

Minister Mustafa concluded the seminar with the current economic climate in Kurdistan. He said, 'The Kurdistan Region has been able to attract $37 billion worth of investments, 2,600 foreign companies are active in Kurdistan and economic indicators keep improving because we have worked not only on the political process but also on economic, social and cultural aspects in order to provide a prosperous future for our people.'

 Erbil, Kurdistan – Iraq (DFR.krg.org) – Minister Falah Mustafa, the Head of the Department of Foreign Relations, today thanked members of Britain's All-Party Parliamentary Group on the Kurdistan Region for their efforts to strengthen ties between the two countries and their work on raising awareness of the Kurdish genocide.

Minister Mustafa and the Assistant Head of the DFR, Siham Jabali today welcomed the delegation, which is led by the UK's former minister for the Middle East, Alistair Burt MP, and is in Kurdistan for a four-day visit. Among the delegation are Lord Glasman, Emma Grubb, and Gary Kent. Their visit to Kurdistan includes meetings with senior government and non-government officials to discuss the latest political and security developments in Kurdistan and Iraq, as well as challenges to the region.

Minister Mustafa said, ‘We have always welcomed APPG visits to Kurdistan and you have done a great job in raising awareness of Kurdistan and you have played an important role in the recognition of the Kurdish genocide before the British Parliament. Your friendship is highly valued by the people and leadership of Kurdistan.’

Commenting on his visit to Kurdistan, Mr Burt said, ’It has been a huge pleasure to return [to Kurdistan], not as a Minister being requested to come, but as a friend. We remain committed to further strengthening commercial, political and cultural ties with the Kurdistan Region.’

The British delegation was pleased to be back in Kurdistan for an update on the developments of the region. They expressed particular concern over how the conflict in Syria is affecting the broader region as well as the political situation in the Kurdistan Region.

Minister Mustafa briefed the delegation on the ongoing efforts to form a coalition government in Erbil that is likely to be a grand alliance of several parties, the impact of the Syrian refugee crisis, the security issues in Anbar province that have resulted in a number of refugees arriving in Kurdistan, the Kurdistan Regional Government's relations with Turkey and Baghdad, and the hydrocarbons law.

Both sides discussed areas of mutual interest and bilateral cooperation while expressing their desire to further strengthen and consolidate relations between the people and governments of both countries.

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.

 Erbil, Kurdistan Region, Iraq - (DFR.krg.org) – The Head of the Department of Foreign Relations, Minister Falah Mustafa, welcomed a Latvian delegation headed by a senior official from the their Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Mr. Rudolfs Bremanis, to the Kurdistan Region. The delegation is visiting Kurdistan to view potential investment and business opportunities and to pave the way for strengthening relations.

Mr. Bremanis is the Head of the Foreign Economic Relations Promotion Division at the Latvian Ministry of Foreign Affairs. The meeting was also attended by the Deputy Head of the DFR, Karwan Jamal, the Assistant Head of the DFR, Siham Jabali along with other senior DFR officials. The Latvian delegation represented various business interests hoping to gain a foothold in the region.

Minister Mustafa welcomed the delegation to Kurdistan and stressed the importance for foreign investment in order to properly rebuild Kurdistan. He emphasized the importance of quality over quantity and highlighted some of the reasons which have helped result in Kurdistan’s success. They include the openness of the KRG towards the international community, a friendly investment law, a secure and stable environment and the support of the government towards the private sector.

Mr. Bremanis was pleased to be visiting Kurdistan and pointed to the diverse group of people in the delegation as a sign of the level of interest Latvia has in the region. He discussed Latvia’s road from independence over two decades ago to where it is now. He hoped that this visit would play a role in strengthening relations between both sides.

Erbil, Kurdistan – Iraq (KRG.org) – Canada’s Minister of State (Foreign Affairs and Consular Services), Lynne Yelich, along with Canadian Ambassador to Iraq, Bruno Saccomani, and an accompanying delegation visited the Kurdistan Region on Wednesday 12 February for a two day visit which culminated in the official opening of Canada’s Trade Representation Office in Erbil.

This was the first visit to the region by a Canadian Minister and during her visit she met with the President of the Kurdistan Region, Masoud Barzani, the KRG Prime Minister, Nechirvan Barzani, the Head of Department of Foreign Relations, Minister Falah Mustafa, the Minister of Natural Resources, Ashti Hawrami, the KRG Minister of Planning, Ali Sindi  and the Minister of Construction and Housing who is also the Acting Chairman of Board of Investment, Kamaran Ahmed.

A trade delegation comprised of a number of Canadian companies accompanied the official delegation on their visit and participated alongside their Kurdish counterpart in the first Economic Forum between Kurdistan and Canada. At the end of the Forum, an official reception took place to officially announce the opening of the Canadian Trade Representation with both Minister Yelich and Minister Mustafa speaking about the importance of this step in terms of establishing bilateral relations which benefit both sides.

During the meeting with President Barzani, both sides discussed a number of current issues facing Iraq and the Middle East, including the current situation in Syria and the impact of the humanitarian crisis on Kurdistan given the influx of refugees. In addition to discussing oil and gas, education and other areas of cooperation, the President highlighted the importance on the need for cooperation in the agriculture sector.

The Canadian delegation also met with KRG Prime Minister Nechirvan Barzani, where Minister Yelich expressed her pleasure at visiting Kurdistan and said that she was impressed with the level of progress taking place. She expressed her hope that the opening of the Trade Representation would result in the expansion of bilateral relations across many sectors.

During her visit, Minister Yelich visited the Department of Foreign Relations where the Head of the DFR, Minister Falah Mustafa welcomed them and briefed them about the opportunities that exist in the region, highlighting specific areas where Canadian expertise can be utilized. He added, ‘We want to develop a relationship which focuses on the areas of need such as agriculture, tourism, industry, education and infrastructure.’

Canadian Minister Yelich said that she was pleased to visit Kurdistan and hoped to build on the work that Canada has already started here given the number of opportunities available. She added, ‘There is so much I see in common with Canada here and what you have achieved in the last ten years is impressive.’

Also during the visit, the delegation visited the Citadel and the textile museum where the Governor of Erbil, Nawzad Hadi briefed the Minister and the delegation on its history and outlined the KRG’s activities and future plans in restoring it.

Minister Mustafa spoke after the end of the visit about the importance of Minister Yelich's visit given the federal form of governance in Canada, which Iraq and Kurdistan can learn a lot from. The separation of powers from the federal government and the provinces in Canada is important to learn from in order for Iraq to truly function as a federal state in adherence to its constitution.

 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, and was accompanied by a large delegation of Italian businessmen. The delegation included representatives from companies already working in Kurdistan and others planning on working here in the near future.

Minister Mustafa welcomed the delegation on behalf of the DFR and conveyed his appreciation to Mr Ficarra on the efforts he and his colleagues at the Italian Consular Office are making to ensure these types of visits continue to increase. He outlined the current business conditions in Kurdistan, highlighting the security and stability as well as laws and regulations as important factors that have resulted in real business opportunities and increased interest from companies worldwide.

The Italian delegation briefed Minister Mustafa on the different areas and sectors in which they operate in, which include key sectors such as infrastructure, agriculture, tourism and architecture. Minister Mustafa said, ‘According to figures from the KRG Ministry of Planning, US $32 billion is needed in investment to help meet Kurdistan’s infrastructural needs. Hence we welcome you all and we hope to see more Italian companies visiting Kurdistan.’

Mr Ficarra thanked the Department of Foreign Relations for their assistance in facilitating the visit of these companies and spoke about the importance that Italy places to its relationship with the Kurdistan Region. He added that further events were in the pipeline to help strengthen economic relations between both sides.

The meeting was also attended by the Deputy Head of the DFR, Karwan Jamal.

 Monday, 10 Feb 2014

Erbil, Kurdistan Region, Iraq - (DFR.krg.org) – The Head of the Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG) Department of Foreign Relations (DFR), Minister Falah Mustafa welcomed the nonresident Canadian Ambassador to Iraq and Jordan, Mr Bruno Saccomani today to discuss the future of bilateral relations between Canada and the KRG.

This visit comes as a follow-up of the Ambassador's visit to the DFR in early October 2013 where the newly appointed Ambassador announced his six months plan to strengthen bilateral ties with the Kurdistan Region and its Government.

Minister Mustafa welcomed Ambassador Saccomani’s efforts and his support and dedication to the Kurdistan Region.

Ambassador Saccomani assured Minister Mustafa that he sees great potential in Kurdistan and is willing to put Kurdistan as well as Iraq on the forefront of Canada’s foreign policy.

Canada is due to sending a Trade delegation of a number of companies to visit the Kurdistan Region and explore its endless opportunities for investment.

Minister Mustafa briefed the Ambassador on the Syrian Refugee crisis and of the increased number of IDPs who have fled to the Kurdistan Region as violence continues in the Anbar province.

Ambassador Saccomani was accompanied by the Canadian Charge d'affairs in Baghdad, Ms Stephanie Duhaime and Senior Trade Commissioner, Jean-Philippe Tachdjian.