‘British companies have been part of Kurdistan's story:’ PM Barzani

“They help create local jobs through the automotive trade; capture flared gas for clean, reliable electricity, and strengthen our public finances.”

Kurdistan Region Prime Minister Masrour Barzani in meeting with British Minister for Energy and Business Kwasi Kwarteng in London, April 19, 2022. (Photo: KRG)
Kurdistan Region Prime Minister Masrour Barzani in meeting with British Minister for Energy and Business Kwasi Kwarteng in London, April 19, 2022. (Photo: KRG)

ERBIL (Kurdistan 24) – Kurdistan Region Prime Minister Masrour Barzani and his accompanying delegation met with the British Minister for Energy and Business Kwasi Kwarteng in London on Tuesday.

“As part of our visit to Britain today, we met the British Minister for Energy and Business Kwasi Kwarteng,” Barzani said in a Facebook post on Tuesday. “During the meeting, we discussed ways to strengthen bilateral relations, especially in the fields of energy and trade.”

“We emphasized the importance of reforming the banking system in the Kurdistan Region, developing the energy sector, and benefiting from the capabilities and expertise of British companies in the energy and banking sector, especially clean energy, as well as reducing air pollution,” he added.

Following his meeting, the prime minister tweeted: “British companies have been part of Kurdistan's story.”

“They help create local jobs through the automotive trade; capture flared gas for clean, reliable electricity, and strengthen our public finances,” he added. “Kwarteng and I will also look at agriculture and financial services.”

Kwarteng was appointed Secretary of State at the Department of Business, Energy, and Industrial Strategy on Jan. 8, 2021.

He was previously Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State in the Department for Exiting the European Union from November 2018 to July 2019.

Barzani and his accompanying governmental delegation arrived in London on Monday to discuss trade and investment ties between the Kurdistan Region and the United Kingdom.

Kurdistan Region Prime Minister Masrour Barzani in meeting with British Minister for Energy and Business Kwasi Kwarteng in London, April 19, 2022. (Photo: KRG)
Kurdistan Region Prime Minister Masrour Barzani in meeting with British Minister for Energy and Business Kwasi Kwarteng in London, April 19, 2022. (Photo: KRG)
Kurdistan Region Prime Minister Masrour Barzani in meeting with British Minister for Energy and Business Kwasi Kwarteng in London, April 19, 2022. (Photo: KRG)
Kurdistan Region Prime Minister Masrour Barzani in meeting with British Minister for Energy and Business Kwasi Kwarteng in London, April 19, 2022. (Photo: KRG)