Dutch ministers in Erbil to discuss war against ISIS, IDP crisis
ERBIL, Kurdistan Region — The Dutch ministers of defense and foreign trade are in the Kurdistan Region and they are to meet with the Kurdish Prime Minister and members of his cabinet today to discuss the situation of internally displaced people (IDP) and the war against ISIS.
Jeanine Hennis and Lilianne Ploumen are going to meet with PM Nechirvan Barzani and also visit a number of places in the region, said Falah Mustafa, head of Kurdistan Region’s department of foreign relations.
The two ministers arrived at Erbil International Airport late on Monday.
Mustafa said the ministers will see the development of the Kurdish region in all aspects and they will also discuss the situation of refugees and IDPs settled in camps across the region.
Mustafa said that the Dutch ministers’ and visits by other world leaders to Erbil meant the Kurdistan Region had built strong international ties.
The Netherlands has trained Peshmerga troops and supplied equipment such as radios, bomb disposal equipment, helmets and vests.
Kurdish PM Barzani has previously said that his government was grateful to the Netherlands for helping refugees based in the Kurdistan Region “and the training of Peshmerga forces which has been a very good role. We thanked them for that.”
Jeanine Hennis and Lilianne Ploumen are going to meet with PM Nechirvan Barzani and also visit a number of places in the region, said Falah Mustafa, head of Kurdistan Region’s department of foreign relations.
The two ministers arrived at Erbil International Airport late on Monday.
Mustafa said the ministers will see the development of the Kurdish region in all aspects and they will also discuss the situation of refugees and IDPs settled in camps across the region.
The two ministers would also be visiting Dutch military trainers and advisers stationed in the Kurdistan Region to work with the Peshmerga in the war against ISIS.
There are around 125 Dutch troops working with Kurdish forces.
Mustafa said that the Dutch ministers’ and visits by other world leaders to Erbil meant the Kurdistan Region had built strong international ties.
The Netherlands has trained Peshmerga troops and supplied equipment such as radios, bomb disposal equipment, helmets and vests.
Kurdish PM Barzani has previously said that his government was grateful to the Netherlands for helping refugees based in the Kurdistan Region “and the training of Peshmerga forces which has been a very good role. We thanked them for that.”