Politics

Dutch Foreign Trade Minister arrives in the Kurdistan Region

"Talks will focus on bilateral relations and further strengthening the ties between the #Kurdistan Region and (the) Netherlands."

Wladimir van Wilgenburg 2022/04/27 19:13

Liesje Schreinemacher, Minister for Foreign Trade and Development Cooperation of the Netherlands, arrived in Erbil on Wednesday, Apr. 27, 2022 (Photo: Lawk Ghafuri/Twitter)

Kurdistan Netherlands Liesje Schreinemacher KRG council of ministers Fuad Hussein

ERBIL (Kurdistan 24) – The Minister for Foreign Trade and Development Cooperation of the Netherlands, Liesje Schreinemacher, arrived in the Kurdistan Region on Wednesday evening after visiting Baghdad.

On Tuesday, Schreinemacher had a meeting in Baghdad with Iraqi Foreign Minister Fuad Hussein. She tweeted afterward that she had a good conversation with Hussein "about the major challenges #Iraq faces and how we can help."

"It is important that Iraq's new government continues with economic reforms and adequately address the current human rights situation," she said.

"This can also help to create a better investment climate in Iraq. It is crucial that everyone in Iraq has perspective, especially young people," she added. "For years, the Netherlands has been committed to improving the situation in the country and people's lives."

Had a good conversation in Baghdad with Minister @Fuad_Hussein1 about the major challenges #Iraq faces and how we can help. It is important that Iraq's new government continues with economic reforms and adequately address the current human rights situation. 1/2 pic.twitter.com/2y0JkITae3
— Liesje Schreinemacher (@LSchreinemacher) April 27, 2022

Since January 2021, around 150 Dutch troops have been protecting Erbil International Airport (EIA) in the Kurdistan Region capital.

Moreover, the Netherlands is a member of the anti-ISIS coalition and actively supports the Ministry of Peshmerga reform program.

The Netherlands also supports the agricultural sector of Iraq and the Kurdistan Region.

In a meeting with the Dutch Ambassador to Iraq Michel Rentenaar in February, the Kurdistan Region Prime Minister Masrour Barzani thanked the Netherlands for its support to the Kurdistan Region's private and public sectors and for implementing a number of important projects in the food industry.