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ERBIL, Kurdistan Region - In a panel discussion at the MERI forum in Erbil, ambassadors from Italy, Finland and Romania to Iraq on Monday hailed the country's transition to a new phase following the withdrawal of international coalition forces, highlighting the Peshmerga's role in maintaining security and calling for stronger economic partnerships.
The discussions took place on the opening day of the two-day MERI Forum, held under the theme "The Region We Share: Advancing Stability, Cooperation and Prosperity."
"September 30th was a historic milestone," Italian Ambassador Niccolò Fontana said in the forum on Monday, describing the withdrawal as a transition of full security responsibility to Iraq's "capable sovereign forces."
"Of course I'm including Peshmerga forces in this paradigm," he added.
The remarks come nearly two weeks after the US-led international coalition completed its military withdrawal from Iraq under a 2024 agreement between Washington and Baghdad, ending a mission launched to combat the Islamic State (ISIS) in 2014. The coalition's counter-ISIS mission continues from outside Iraq as an advisory mission.
Fontana said Italian forces “fought alongside Iraqi forces and Peshmergas during the war against ISIS," he said, adding that Rome had also helped train local forces to assume responsibility for future security challenges.
"I think that now it's really the time to shift the focus from the security sector to the economic sector" in a “new phase,” Fontana said, adding, "We are no longer talking about charity, we are now talking precisely about synergy, partnership, cooperation… and long-term economic commitment."
Finnish Ambassador Antti Putkonen echoed that assessment, saying Iraqi security forces, including the Peshmerga, had demonstrated their ability to conduct counterterrorism operations independently, adding that it concluded its 10-year participation as part of the US-led coalition mission to combat ISIS two in 2024.
"Already a year ago, the capabilities of the Iraqi security forces were evaluated, and they were capable of conducting independently their counterterrorism operations," he said.
Putkonen described this as a "strong signal of the success of the coalition mission," adding that the Peshmerga were included in that assessment.
"Daesh was defeated already many, many years ago, although the risk, of course, remains there, and we have to remain vigilant in it," he cautioned.
The Finnish ambassador said his country ended its decade-long participation in the coalition two years ago, recognizing opportunities for broader relations with Iraq and the Kurdistan Region.
"We already saw at that time that there is definitely room for a more normalized relationship with Iraq, with [the] Kurdistan region," he said, pointing to trade and cultural cooperation.
Romanian Ambassador Radu Dobre also expressed confidence in Iraq's ability to manage its security responsibilities and pursue economic reforms.
"I have the full confidence that the government will manage to use the experience accumulated by not only the security forces, but also by the Ministry of Interior, Ministry of Defense," Dobre said.
He stressed that security achievements could serve as the “basis for economic reforms” and create opportunities for international investment.
"I think Iraq is in the stage that with the right measures could really bring its economy very high up because there is such a tremendous potential in this country," he said.
Dobre added that Romanian businesses were increasingly interested in Iraq.
"Now I'm assaulted by projects that Romanian companies would like to do in Iraq, not only in the areas of trade, but also coming to invest," he said. "They just need to find the proper moment."
Fontana similarly emphasized the changing nature of international engagement with Baghdad.
The international coalition withdrawal has raised concerns among Kurdish officials over the loss of military capabilities, particularly air defense systems, amid repeated drone and missile attacks on the Kurdistan Region.
At the beginning of October, Iraqi Prime Minister Ali al-Zaidi declared a "new era" of Iraqi sovereignty following the withdrawal, while calling for weapons to be brought under state control.
The Kurdistan Regional Government's Department of Foreign Relations welcomed the transition, stressing that the coalition's departure marked "not the end of the partnerships" and expressing hopes for continued security cooperation and expanded economic ties.
