Leaders of Kurdistan Region, Flanders pledge to boost trade at meeting in Brussels

ERBIL (Kurdistan 24) – Kurdistan Region Prime Minister Masrour Barzani met on Wednesday in Brussels with the leader of Flanders, the northern Dutch-speaking region of Belgium, where both pledged to strengthen trade and diplomatic cooperation. 

"There is a great similarity between the experience of our region and the Kurdistan Region," Minister-President Jan Jambon told Kurdistan 24.

Jambon, who also serves as Flemish Minister for Foreign Policy, Culture, Digitization and Facilities, explained, "There is a plan to expand commercial coordination between our region and the Kurdistan Region."

Barzani arrived on Wednesday in his first official visit to the Belgian capital the head of a government delegation that includes including the Kurdistan Regional Government's (KRG) Minister of Planning and Housing Dara Rashid and Safeen Dizayee, head of its Department of Foreign Relations.

Read More: PM Barzani arrives in Brussels for start of visit focusing on bilateral ties

The Kurdish premier is expected to meet top Belgian officials to strengthen Erbil-Brussels relations and to discuss the continued support and coordination of the international coalition against ISIS with Kurdish Peshmerga forces.

Editing by John J. Catherine