ERBIL, Kurdistan Region - A joint economic forum between the Kurdistan Region and the Netherlands is being held in the Hague, aiming to establish new frameworks for cooperation across different sectors and to address challenges facing joint ventures in the Kurdistan Region.
Delavar Ajgeiy, head of Erbil’s mission to the European Union, told Rudaw on Tuesday that the forum reflects the Kurdistan Regional Government’s (KRG) strategy to “strengthen economic relations with foreign countries.” He emphasized that both public and private sectors in the Kurdistan Region can benefit from the Netherlands’ advanced expertise.
Kurdish and Dutch companies are engaging with stakeholders to resolve obstacles to investment and facilitate new business opportunities. Ajgeiy stressed the importance of shifting revenue generation toward the private sector and called for easier procedures to register foreign companies in the Region.
The five-day forum, which kicked off on Monday, has drawn participation from 300 companies representing 25 countries. It focuses on strategic sectors such as agribusiness, water infrastructure, and clean energy.
Jort Posthumus, then-acting consul general of the Netherlands to Erbil, told Rudaw in November that 20 to 30 Dutch companies were active in the Region, with that number expected to grow.
Ajgeiy on Tuesday highlighted successful agricultural projects in the Kurdistan Region developed in cooperation with Dutch firms, particularly in potato farming. As a result, “the Region’s potato production surged from 80,000 to over 600,000-700,000 tons annually,” far exceeding the domestic demand of 100,000 tons and enabling exports.
Additionally, Dutch collaboration has led to the establishment of several dairy factories across the Region, producing high-quality goods that now replace previously imported items of uncertain quality.
“These facilities now produce high-quality products that were previously imported, effectively replacing items whose quality was once uncertain,” Ajgeiy said.
The participation in the economic forum at the Hague aligns with the KRG’s Vision 2030, a long-term strategy focused on sustainable development through economic diversification. Vision 2030 aims to reduce reliance on oil and gas by promoting growth in agriculture, industry, and tourism, while attracting investment, cutting red tape, and fostering a business-friendly environment.
Core priorities include economic reforms, digital transformation, and administrative modernization - such as upgrading the banking sector, enhancing financial transparency, expanding digital payments, and implementing e-governance. The plan also emphasizes investing in education and workforce development to drive innovation and private sector growth.
