President Barzani kicks off Berlin trip by meeting German ministers

ERBIL, Kurdistan Region - Kurdistan Region President Nechirvan Barzani on Monday met with several German ministers in Berlin ahead of his anticipated meeting with Chancellor Olaf Scholz.

Barzani met with Germany’s Federal Minister for Economic Cooperation and Development, Svenja Schulze, and Minister of State at Germany's Federal Foreign Office Tobias Lindner. 

In the meeting with Schulze, both sides discussed cooperation in the different sectors, the situation of Yazidis and Internally Displaced Persons (IDP) in Shingal (Sinjar), and the threats of climate change on Iraq, according to a statement from the Kurdistan Region’s presidency. 

“The two sides discussed the development of Germany’s relations with Iraq and the Kurdistan Region, a joint cooperation between the two countries in various fields, the situation in Sinjar, the status of the Yezidis and the refugees in the Kurdistan Region, and the impact of climate change in Iraq,” read the statement from Kurdistan Region presidency.

Barzani thanked Germany for its support to the Kurdistan Region and Iraq while "reiterating the region’s keenness to further expand relations and joint cooperation with Germany”. 

“Matters like investment and economy, environment and environmental changes, private sector, IDPs and refugees, and the minorities in Kurdistan Region and Iraq, were discussed in the three meetings,” Falah Mustafa, senior advisor to President Barzani, told Rudaw's Alla Shally. 

Schulze expressed her country’s support and willingness to cooperate with the Kurdistan Region and Iraq, in the areas that are in need, “including investments, training in various fields, and economic diversification.”

In the meeting with Lindner, the internal political situation of the Kurdistan Region, parliamentary elections, and latest developments in the region were discussed.

“Mr Lindner reiterated Germany’s readiness to help and support Iraq and Kurdistan Region at any time and in any area needed,” continued the statement, adding that the German Minister emphasized the continuation of the German forces in the framework of the international coalition against the Islamic State (ISIS).

Several German lawmakers have spoken to Rudaw about the importance of the visit for boosting and highlighting the importance of the ties between Erbil and Berlin. 

Germany is a key international actor as well as an essential member of the US-led global coalition against ISIS. Berlin has also been involved in the Peshmerga reforms over the past few years, with the German army mostly based in the Region.

The country has also carried out several projects in the Yazidi heartland, Shingal, and IDP camps housing Yazidi people since 2014, in attempts to help the religious minority group, according to a German diplomat in Erbil.