Kurdistan Region President Masoud Barzani arrived in Kuwait City on Saturday on an official visit to hold meetings with the Emir of Kuwait and other senior Kuwaiti officials. 

On his arrival, the President and an accompanying senior KRG delegation were welcomed at Kuwait City airport by Sheikh Sabah Al-Khalid Al-Sabah, the First Deputy Prime Minister and the Foreign Minister of Kuwait. 

President Barzani is due to also visit Abu Dhabi in this Gulf visit to meet with the leadership of the UAE. In both countries, the President will discuss bilateral relations, the threat of ISIS terrorists,and the plight of Iraqi IDPs who have sought refuge in Kurdistan.

Kurdistan Region President Masoud Barzani met with the Emir of Kuwait, Sheikh Sabah Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah, and other senior leaders of the State of Kuwait on Sunday to discuss bilateral relations and the political and security developments in the region.

The meeting between the President and Kuwait’s Prime Minister Jaber Al-Mubarak Al-Hamad Al-Sabah focused on strengthening political and economic relations between the Kurdistan Region and Kuwait, including encouraging investment by Kuwaiti businesses in Kurdistan. 

Kuwait’s Crown Prince Nawaf Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah hosted a luncheon for President Barzani and his accompanying delegation. 

The President also visited Iraq’s embassy in Kuwait City where he was welcomed by Ambassador Mohamad Hussein Bahr Al-Ulom. 

Erbil, Kurdistan Region, Iraq (cabinet.gov.krd) - Kurdistan Region Prime Minister, Nechirvan Barzani, yesterday received the United Nations Under-Secretary General for Humanitarian Affairs, Mr. Stephen O’Brien, and his accompanying delegation.

Mr. O’Brien briefed the Prime Minister on his visit to Baghdad where he visited camps of internally displaced persons, IDPs. He said he will also visit IDP and refugee camps in the Kurdistan Region.

Mr. O’Brien thanked the Kurdistan Regional Government, KRG, for the assistance it has been offering to displaced people. He described the relations between the United Nations agencies and KRG as positive and effective.

He said that the United Nations’ 2015 plan for assisting displaced people is soliciting over $1.5 billion from donor countries.  He said, however, few countries so far offered assistance, except Kuwait that announced it will donate $200 million.

Mr. O’Brien noted that within the framework of the 2016 plan the Kurdistan Region will be dealt with separately as it disproportionately needs more assistance than other areas of Iraq.

Prime Minister Barzani said that due to the arrival of a high number of displaced people, particularly since the Islamic State terrorist organisation captured Mosul last June, the population of the Region has increased by 28 percent and continues to increase. Though all IDPs are Iraqi citizens, he noted the Iraqi government does not help to accommodate them and provide assistance to meet their needs in areas under KRG control.  This has put an enormous burden on the Kurdistan Region.

Prime Minister Barzani called on the international community to assume its responsibilities as the Kurdistan Region accommodates and provides assistance to a very high number of refugees and IDPs, while at the same time it conducts a war against terrorism on behalf of the entire world. 

He warned that due to ongoing war in Syria and Iraq, the Kurdistan Region could face additional waves of refugees and IDPs.

Erbil, Kurdistan Region, Iraq (cabinet.gov.krd) - Prime Minister, Nechirvan Barzani, yesterday received the Kuwait Consul-General to the Kurdistan Region, Dr. Omar Ahmad Al-Kandari.

Prime Minister Barzani welcomed the Kuwait Consul-General to his new position. They discussed the latest developments in the Kurdistan Region, particularly the war against terrorism and the economic and social impact of hosting nearly two million refugees and internally displaced persons, IDPs.

Investment opportunities were also discussed and the Consul-General affirmed the desire of his country’s companies, investors, and relevant institutions to develop economic and commercial ties with the Region. He described the opening of the Kuwait Consulate General as an important step in that regard.

Prime Minister Barzani expressed his happiness at the establishment of relations between the Kurdistan Region and Kuwait, offering the support of relevant KRG organisations to Kuwaiti companies that wish to invest in the Region, particularly in priority fields such as agriculture and tourism.

With Kuwaiti media representatives present in the meeting, Prime Minister Barzani explained the political, economic, security, and military situation in the Region. Regarding relations with Baghdad, he said that at this moment the KRG intends to resolve its differences with Baghdad.  He said that Iraq is important for Kurdistan Region from geographical, political, social, commercial, and economic points of view. He said, however, that if the current breach of agreements by Baghdad continues, then the Region would have to turn towards other options.  

Kuwait City, Kuwait – (DFR.krg.org) – A delegation from Iraq, including the Kurdistan Region, led by Foreign Minister Hoshyar Zebari attended the Second International Humanitarian Pledging Conference for Syria in which 68 countries and 24 international organisations participated.

Minister Zebari was accompanied by the representative of the Kurdistan Regional Government, the Head of the Department of Foreign Relations, Minister Falah Mustafa.

The aim of the donor conference was to gain further humanitarian assistance for the Syrian refugees and internally displaced people who have been affected since the start of the conflict in March 2011.

The conference was opened by the Emir of Kuwait, Sheikh Sabah Al-Ahmed Al-Jaber Al-Sabah and chaired by the UN Secretary-General  Ban Ki-moon. As the host of the conference, the Emir urged the international community to get together in order to help those who have been affected by the Syrian conflict and pledged $500 million to the cause.

Mr Ban thanked the Emir of Kuwait for his generosity and hospitality, and encouraged the international community to continue providing humanitarian assistance to the refugees who have paid the biggest price for the ongoing war in Syria.

During his opening speech, the UN Secretary-General thanked all countries and international organisations for their presence and active participation.

Valerie Amos, the UN Under-Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs and Emergency Relief Coordinator, Antonio Gutierrez, the UN High Commissioner for Refugees, and others addressed the conference and urged countries to make donations to meet UN’s $6.5 billion appeal for Syria.

Minister Zebari emphasised that  military intervention was not the  solution to the conflict in Syria, pinning hopes on the Geneva II Conference which is set to take place later this month.

This year Iraq pledged $13 million in addition to the $58 million it has already contributed in relief funds to the Syrian refugees and IDPs in Iraq.

The Kurdistan Region has seen a large influx of Syrian refugees in addition to the thousands of Iraqi families that have fled to the Region as violence continues in other parts of Iraq. There are currently over 250,000 Syrian refugees in Iraq, including those who are registered and non-registered. The vast majority are in Kurdistan.

The KRG has so far provided $70 million in relief funds including the provision of basic needs such as food, shelter, clean water and sanitation, as well as emergency health care. However, the KRG is overstretched and has been calling for urgent international assistance.

Minister Mustafa, highlighted the importance of the conference as well as the role Kuwait and the UN have played in helping the vulnerable people fleeing Syria. 'The KRG is committed to helping the refugees and appreciates any contributions made,' he said, adding that the need to end the violence is of paramount importance.

The United States of America was among the most generous donors, contributing $380 million.

The one-day conference concluded with donor countries pledging a total of $2.4 billion to help the Syrian refugees. This exceeds the $1.5 billion raised during last year's International Humanitarian Pledging Conference for Syria.

In the margins of the conference, the Iraqi delegation, led by Minister Zebari and including KRG Minister Mustafa, met with the Prime Minister of Lebanon, Najib Mikati, and Kuwait's Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister, Sheikh Sabah Khalid Al-Hamad Al-Sabah, to discuss bilateral relations, the Syrian crisis and the Geneva II Conference.