EU, international community should provide Kurdistan humanitarian aid: German Minister
A region of five million people receiving 1.8 million displaced persons and refugees is unbelievable, said a German official on Thursday.
ERBIL, Kurdistan Region (Kurdistan24) – A region of five million people receiving 1.8 million displaced persons and refugees is unbelievable, said a German official on Thursday.
German Minister of Economic Cooperation and Development Gerd Muller and his delegates arrived in Erbil, the capital of the Kurdistan Region and met with the Prime Minister of the Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG) Nechirvan Barzani.
In the meeting, Muller stated that Germany would ensure that Kurdistan receives its share of humanitarian aid given to the federal government of Iraq. He expressed Germany’s readiness in helping to rebuild the liberated areas from the so-called Islamic State (IS) to assist displaced people to return home, according to the KRG statement.
Barzani praised the humanitarian and military support of Germany to Kurdistan and complained that the federal government of Iraq has not provided any aid to Erbil. He called on the international community to provide humanitarian assistance for those stranded in the Kurdistan Region.
Following the meeting, a press conference was held. Barzani praised the decision of Germany’s parliament to extend the presence of the German military advisers and trainers in the Kurdistan Region.
He also thanked German GIZ International Services for providing humanitarian aid to the displaced persons and refugees in the Kurdistan Region.
During the presser, Muller stated that Germans can't fathom that a region of five million people receive 1.8 million refugees and displaced persons, saying Germany will provide support in this regard and “Kurdistan Region is not alone.”
The Minister also called on the EU members to help the KRG in overcoming internally displaced persons (IDPs) and refugee crisis in Kurdistan.
Muller noted that hundreds of thousands more IDPs might arrive from Mosul as the military operation is ongoing, calling EU to support KRG as well as pave the way to assist IDPs to return to their homes.
He mentioned that it is important to support the KRG so the displaced will not have to go farther away for assistance.
On Sunday, the KRG Interior Minister Karim Sinjari released a statement alerting the international community of an impending humanitarian catastrophe due to the lack of resources for the IDPs.
Editing by Ava Homa