ERBIL, Kurdistan Region – Kurdistan Region President Nechirvan Barzani on Wednesday thanked Germany for its support to the Region, particularly during the war against the Islamic State (ISIS), as well as its assistance to Yazidi refugees.
According to a statement from his office, President Barzani made the remarks during a meeting in Erbil with Kassem Taher Saleh, a member of Germany’s Federal Parliament from the Green Party.
During the meeting, President Barzani expressed that he “highly appreciated the German Parliament's support for the Kurdistan Region during difficult times, particularly in the war against terrorism.”
He also praised Germany for sheltering and assisting Yazidi refugees who fled the ISIS genocide and persecution.
The two sides also discussed “the latest developments in the region and the further strengthening of relations between the Kurdistan Region and Germany in all fields,” according to the presidency.
Germany and the Kurdistan Region have maintained close ties for more than a decade, particularly in security, humanitarian assistance and diplomatic engagement.
Berlin became directly involved in supporting the Kurdistan Region’s fight against ISIS in 2014, providing Peshmerga with military equipment, including anti-tank weapons and assault rifles. German troops were deployed to Erbil later that year to train Peshmerga forces.
Germany has also contributed to the NATO Mission in Iraq, a non-combat capacity-building advisory to Iraq’s security institutions to counter terrorism and prevent the resurgence of ISIS.
The partnership has also been strengthened by Germany’s sizable Kurdish diaspora and its role in providing humanitarian support to displaced people from the Kurdistan Region and Iraq.
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