Germany seeks Sudani’s support to deport Iraqi refugees: Minister

ERBIL, Kurdistan Region - Chancellor of Germany Olaf Scholz on Friday requested the Iraqi Prime Minister Mohammed Shia’ al-Sudani to help his government find a way to return tens of thousands of illegal Iraqi refugees living in Germany to their country, according to Iraq’s foreign minister.

An Iraqi top delegation, headed by Sudani, is in Germany to meet with the country’s officials. They met with a German delegation headed by Scholz, discussing a range of issues, especially energy and power. 

Fuad Hussein, Iraq’s foreign minister, told Rudaw’s Alla Shally on Friday that the German leader requested Sudani to support them to find a mechanism to deport tens of thousands of Iraqis who are illegally staying in Germany.

“He said that 35,000-36,000 Iraqis [in Germany] do not have residency permits. He requested the Iraqi side to help him find a way to return these people to their country because they do not have citizenship or residency there [Germany],” Hussein said. 

Sudani suggested that both governments draft a plan to deal with the issue, adding that the European Union should be involved in the plan as well. 

He elaborated that the drafting of the plan does not mean that Iraq will agree to take back the refugees. 

Tens of thousands of mostly young people leave Iraq and the Kurdistan Region for Europe annually in search of a better life, using people’s smuggling routes. A number of these migrants die in freezing temperatures on the border and others drown in the sea. Many of them plan to arrive in Germany.

Some others used the English Channel to reach England but many could not survive the harsh conditions of the water. 

MoU with Siemens

Sudani said during a press conference with the German chancellor that his delegation signed a memorandum of understanding with the German energy giant Siemens to increase energy production, improve its transportation and reduce waste as well as maintaining energy stability.

“We have an understanding with Siemens in training and raising workers' efficiency to create an industry capable of securing the requirements of electric power transmission projects and providing job opportunities,” he said. 

His office later said that the Mou contains “several essential items that constitute an action plan for developing the electricity sector in Iraq.”

“In light of the memorandum of understanding, Siemens is working, in coordination with the Ministry of Electricity, to develop an integrated plan for the electricity system in general, which includes solutions to problems. The company is also establishing new power plants,” added the office.

Hussein said that Siemens will “play a key role in the electricity sector.”

Among other issues discussed during the high-level meeting in Berlin were Erbil-Baghdad issues and German investment in Iraq and Kurdistan Region, according to the Iraqi minister