KRG Interior Minister, Qatari int'l affairs minister discuss bilateral ties
ERBIL (Kurdistan 24) – Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG) Interior Minister Rebar Ahmed on Thursday met with Qatar’s Minister of State for International Cooperation Lolwah Alkhater on the sidelines of the Global Refugee Forum in Geneva.
At the meeting, both sides discussed the affairs of the Qatari consulate in Erbil and the presence of more than one million refugees in the Kurdistan Region, according to Kurdistan 24 reporter Barzan Hassan.
Alkhater praised the Kurdistan Region's role in sheltering and accommodating many refugees and internally displaced persons (IDPs).
The Qatari minister expressed her pleasure that her country opened a consulate in the Kurdistan Region.
Meanwhile, the KRG minister posted on social media platform X that they “discussed bilateral relations and ways to enhance cooperation in areas of mutual interest. Qatar’s role in promoting peace and stability in the region is of great importance.”
Productive meeting with #Qatar’s Minister of State for International Cooperation @Lolwah_Alkhater in Geneva where we discussed bilateral relations and ways to enhance cooperation in areas of mutual interest. Qatar’s role in promoting peace and stability in the region is of great… pic.twitter.com/Ai1l8w7OhH
— Rêber Ahmed (@RayberAhmed) December 14, 2023
On Oct. 31, Qatar inaugurated its first consul general in Erbil.
The Kurdistan Region has long seen the Gulf markets as a potential place for exporting its agricultural produce, including pomegranates and potatoes, that have already appeared in a number of Gulf markets’ grocery stores, including the UAE.
The Global Refugee Forum 2023 takes place from Dec. 13-15 at the Palexpo in Geneva, Switzerland, with linked events held in other locations from Dec. 11 onwards, per the UNHCR's official website.
Held every four years, the Forum is the world’s largest international gathering on refugees. It is designed to support the practical implementation of objectives such as easing pressures on host countries, enhancing refugee self-reliance, increasing access to third-country solutions, and improving conditions in countries of origin.