Dutch diplomat views Kurdish presence at Kuwait forum as 'very important'

ERBIL, Kurdistan Region — After the ISIS war and fallout between the Iraqi central and Kurdistan regional governments, the attendance of a large Kurdish delegation — including governors — at the reconstruction conference is seen as a positive step by Janet Alberda, the Netherlands' consul general in Erbil.

"It's important that they are there, so that shows there is some cooperation and preparedness," Alberda told Rudaw English in an interview on Sunday.

Officials from the Kurdistan Region including Planning Minister Ali Sindi, Housing and Reconstruction Minister Darbaz Kosrat Rasul and three governors have 80 proposals in hand, ready for governments and private investors.

"I think that's very, very important," added Alberda.

Iraq and Kurdistan's premiers — Haider al-Abadi and Nechirvan Barzani, respectively — have met twice in the past month. Abadi will deliver the keynote speech at the event.

"...I'm sure there are more talks ahead. I think it's also very good that there is a delegation coming from the KRG to the Kuwait reconstruction funds," said Alberda.

While noting that the destruction people faced in Duhok province isn't on the same level as that of Mosul, Alberda explained, "it's important to focus on all the vulnerable pockets inside Iraq as a whole."

The Netherlands will send a delegation of six, headed by its deputy director of international cooperation.

As a partner in the anti-ISIS coalition, the Netherlands contributes F-16 fighter jets, training for Iraqi Security Forces, including for Kurdish Peshmerga at a base in Erbil. Additionally, the Netherlands will continue to support humanitarian relief in the new phase of security, stabilization, and return of IDPs.

"There we will emphasize that the Netherlands' government will stand by Iraq, including the Kurdistan Region ... we are going to be part and parcel of that," explained the Dutch diplomat. 

The Kurdistan Region is seeking investment in essential services at the conference.

"The investment projects include water, electricity, transportation, roads, health, and higher education. Many projects have been prepared in the area of industry and agriculture, so that international investors develop these areas," Erbil Governor Nawzad Hadi told Rudaw. 

Officials in the Kurdistan Region are concerned that their voices will be overshadowed by projects for other areas of Iraq.

"We have raised these concerns to consulates. All these projects, including Iraqi and KRG ones, should have been prepared as one package and then declared," added Hadi. "But they have included in their projects only the places that fall within the federal government."

The conference is an opportunity for Iraq to "present the feasibility studies and licenses for 60 key investment projects with total amount exceeds $85 billion," according to the conference website. 

Baghdad has estimated it needs $100 billion in assistance to rebuild the war-damaged areas.

It comes at a time when Kurdish MPs are boycotting parliamentary sessions in the Iraqi capital, in light of Baghdad's proposed 12.6 percent budget share. The KRG is arguing for the return of its 17 percent share, in-line with pre-2014 spending bills. 

Kurdish officials hope the conference will also be an opportunity to further talks between Erbil and Baghdad and international partners.

Yezidi MP Vian Dakhil has noted that Iraq is not taking to Kuwait a single proposal for reconstruction of the Shingal district, despite the city being officially declared a war-damaged zone. 

Editors' note: The full and wide-ranging interview with CG Alberda will be released this week. She touches on transparency, good governance, the effect of the international flight ban, visa issues, and the Netherlands' focuses in Iraq for 2018 after last week's ambassadorial meeting at The Hague.