The German foreign minister Heiko Maas stepped out of a large lumbering aircraft today in Erbil as he came to discuss various aspects of the important German relationship with the KRG in northern Iraq. “They also discussed the protracted displacement of more than 1.1 million displaced Iraqis and over 284,000 refugees, mainly from Syria sheltering in the Kurdistan Region,” noted Rudaw. He held a press conference with Prime Minister Nechirvan Barzani.
Germany has been supportive of the region, including supporting training during the war on ISIS through the KTCC. The men discussed “better relations in all fields.”
The Dutch foreign minister was also in the KRG for meetings. “In a joint press conference with the visiting Dutch Minister of Foreign Affairs Minister, Barzani highlighted the need to further strengthening bilateral ties with the Netherlands, especially in the agriculture sector.:”
The Dutch consul-general also discussed making the relationship sustainable in an economic way in the “post-Daesh” environment. This was a “new phase,” he said.
