Erbil, Kurdistan Region, March 1, 2023

President Nechirvan Barzani received today in Erbil Lord Tarq Ahmad, the Minister of State for the Middle East, North Africa, South Asia and United Nations at the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office (FCDO).

Lord Ahmed stressed his country’s keenness to develop relations with Iraq and the Kurdistan Region and reaffirmed that the UK attaches great importance to the relations between Erbil and Baghdad. Lord Ahmed viewed stability and good relations between Erbil and Baghdad as a source of strength for Iraq to face its challenges. He expressed his country’s support for the resolution of the differences between the two sides.

In the meeting, which was attended by the UK Ambassador to Iraq and the UK Consul General in Erbil, the two sides discussed the political and economic situation in Iraq and the Kurdistan Region. In this regard, President Nechirvan Barzani stressed that the Kurdistan Region is making continuous efforts to resolve the issues with Baghdad, as well as to maintain unity in the Kurdistan Region.

Both sides agreed that peace and stability and the resolution of the country’s problems will promote the progress and return of Iraq to its rightful position in the region and the world, and will create more job opportunities, investments and foreign capital.

The Kurdistan Region elections, the Iraqi Oil and Gas Law, the budget, the relations between Iraq and the Kurdistan Region with neighboring countries, the situation in the wider region, the consequences of the war in Ukraine and other issues of common interest were highlighted.

https://presidency.gov.krd/en/president-nechirvan-barzani-meets-with-uk-secretary-of-state-lord-ahmad/

Erbil, Kurdistan Region, February 26, 2023

President Nechirvan Barzani received today in Erbil Mr. Ahmed Ibrahim Saeed Al Zahri, the Consul General of the United Arab Emirates to the Kurdistan Region.

The meeting discussed the political and economic situation in Iraq and the Kurdistan Region and the relations between Erbil and Baghdad. The UAE Consul General also conveyed an official invitation from the UAE President, His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan to President Nechirvan Barzani to visit the United Arab Emirates.

In his invitation, President Al Nahyan offers his greetings to President Nechirvan Barzani and expresses his country’s keenness to further develop relations with the Kurdistan Region and to expand joint cooperation between the two sides in all areas. The letter also reads that President Al Nahyan looks forward to meeting with President Nechirvan Barzani in the UAE to exchange views on mutual interests between the two countries.

For his part, President Nechirvan Barzani offered his greetings and well wishes to President Al Nahyan and accepted the invitation. The President spoke about the importance of the United Arab Emirates relations with Iraq and the Kurdistan Region, and looked forward to visiting the UAE.

Discussions also covered the budget, oil and gas law between the Kurdistan Regional Government and the Iraqi Federal Government, the status of Shingal and the latest developments in the wider region.

https://presidency.gov.krd/en/president-nechirvan-barzani-officially-invited-to-the-uae/

MUNICH, Germany, February 19, 2023

President Nechirvan Barzani concluded his participation in the three-day Munich Security Conference today. The conference was held from 17 to 19 of February.

During the three days of the conference, President Nechirvan Barzani met with a number of leaders, ministers of foreign affairs, and high officials, including: The President of Azerbaijan, the Prime Ministers of Poland, Armenia, Iraq, and the Ministers of Foreign Affairs of the US, the UK, Italy, the Vatican, Norway, Qatar, Kuwait, Jordan, the President of the European Commission, the Deputy President and Chief of Foreign Affairs and Security System of the European Union, two delegations from the US Congress, the Assistant Secretary of Defense for the International Security Affairs, the Secretary of State at the German Ministry of Economic Coordination and Development, the Deputy Chairman of the Committee of Foreign Affairs and a German Parliamentary Delegation, a delegation of the German parliamentary party of SPD, and many other officials who were present at the conference.

The discussions in President Nechirvan Barzani’s meetings covered the political, security, and economic situation of Iraq and the Kurdistan Region, the relations between Erbil and Baghdad and the negotiations to solve the issues, the bilateral relations of Iraq and the Kurdistan Region with the neighboring countries and developing cooperation and coordination, the situation in the Middle East and the wider region, and the importance of maintaining peace and stability while solving the differences, the issues of energy and security, the confrontation of terrorism, and other topics of mutual interest.

https://presidency.gov.krd/en/president-nechirvan-barzani-concludes-productive-participation-at-59th-session-of-the-munich-security-conference/

MUNICH, Germany, February 17, 2023

President Nechirvan Barzani met separately with the US Senator, Mr. Chris Van Hollen and a US Congressional delegation led by Mr. Mike Turner, the Chairman of the House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence, on the sidelines of the Munich Security Conference today in Germany.

The meetings focused on the bilateral relations of the US with Iraq and the Kurdistan Region and ways to further strengthen ties. The US delegation reaffirmed the United States’ continued support to Iraq and the Kurdistan Region in the fight against terrorism and the challenges that currently face Iraq.

Discussions also covered the reform process within the Peshmarga Ministry and the unification of the Peshmerga forces. In this regard, President Nechirvan Barzani reiterated Kurdistan Region’s commitment to continuing and completing the process with the US assistance. The President also expressed the Kurdistan Region’s gratitude for the US support to Iraq and the Kurdistan Region.

The developments in the wider region and other topics of mutual interest were also highlighted during the two meetings.

https://presidency.gov.krd/en/president-nechirvan-barzani-meets-with-us-delegation-2/

MUNICH, Germany, February 17, 2023

President Nechirvan Barzani met with Armenian Prime Minister, Mr. Nikol Pashinyan Friday evening, on the sidelines of the Munich Security conference in Germany.

Discussions focused on Armenia’s relations with Iraq and the Kurdistan Region in all fields, emphasizing the need to expand trade exchanges between the two countries and highlighting job and investment opportunities.

The two sides also highlighted the situation of the Kurdish Diaspora in Armenia and the Armenian Diaspora in the Kurdistan Region. The ancient relations between the two sides, as well as the challenges facing Kurdistan, Armenia and the wider region were also discussed.

Regarding the security situation and stability of the region, the President of the Kurdistan Region and the Prime Minister of Armenia stressed the importance of making efforts and working comprehensively to resolve all issues peacefully through dialogue and negotiations.

https://presidency.gov.krd/en/president-nechirvan-barzani-meets-with-prime-minister-of-armenia/

MUNICH, Germany, February 17, 2023

Continuing his meetings in Germany on the sidelines of Munich Security Conference, President Nechirvan Barzani met with His Excellency Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al-Thani, the Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs of the State of Qatar.

The meeting focused on Qatar’s relations with Iraq and the Kurdistan Region and their joint cooperation to further expand their bilateral relations.

His Excellency Sheikh Mohammed Al-Thani reiterated Qatar’s willingness to expand job and investment opportunities in Iraq and the Kurdistan Region and expressed hope that greater opportunities for Qatari private sectors emerge in the Kurdistan Region. The President offered the support of all relevant institutions in the Kurdistan Region for Qatari business and investment ventures.

Both sides agreed on the importance of working to maintain peace and stability in the Middle East and reaffirmed the importance of resolving conflicts peacefully. In this context, they also discussed the constructive standing and role of both sides in the wider region.

MUNICH, Germany, February 17, 2023

Continuing his meetings on the sidelines of Munich Security Conference in Germany today, President Nechirvan Barzani met with Ms. Celeste Wallander, the US Assistant Secretary of Defense for international security affairs.

During the meeting, the security situation in Iraq, the Kurdistan Region and the wider region were discussed and the latest developments in the war against terrorism was highlighted.

Ms. Wallander reaffirmed the continued US support to Iraq and the Kurdistan Region within the framework of Strategic Dialogue, especially in the fight to eliminate the ISIS terror networks.

The President reiterated the appreciation of the Kurdistan Region for the US support in the fight against terrorism and valued the continued US support for the reform process withing the Peshmarga Ministry including the unification of the Peshmarga forces.

The latest developments in the wider region, collective efforts to ensure regional security and stability and other topics of mutual interest were also discussed.

https://presidency.gov.krd/en/president-nechirvan-barzani-meets-with-us-assistant-secretary-of-state-2/

MUNICH, Germany, February 17, 2023

President Nechirvan Barzani met with Ms. Nadiya Murad, the Yezidi humanitarian and Nobel laureate in Germany today on the sidelines of the Munich Security Conference. The latest about the status of the Yezidis, the Shingal district and the continuing efforts to free abducted Yezidis were highlighted at the meeting.

The two sides also discussed the situation of the Yezidi refugees and reiterated the importance of the status of Shingal, its reconstruction, the safe return of the displaced, and the international assistance to the Yezidis and Shingal district.

https://presidency.gov.krd/en/president-nechirvan-barzani-meets-with-yezidi-activist-ms-nadiya-murad/