KRG Interior Minister visits Nordrhein-Westfalen Parliament in Germany

ERBIL (Kurdistan24) – The Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG) Interior Minister, Rebar Ahmed, visited the Nordrhein-Westfalen Regional Parliament in Düsseldorf, Germany. Accompanied by a delegation, Ahmed was welcomed by Rainer Schmeltzer, First Deputy Speaker of the Parliament, and Serdar Yuksel, Member of the North Rhine-Westphalia Parliament.

In his welcome speech, Schmeltzer emphasized the importance of Ahmed's visit, highlighting the difficult situation in the Kurdistan Region and the need to strengthen bilateral relations. “You needed to come here because of the difficult situation in your region so that we can further strengthen our relations and we are aware of your pain and difficulties,” Schmeltzer said.

Acknowledging the parliament's limited role in shaping foreign policy, Schmeltzer expressed a strong desire to improve relations between the two regions. “Mr. Minister, your coming here is a step towards improving relations between the two regions. We have not neglected the humanitarian field, and Yuksel has always tried to do humanitarian work and provide continuous assistance,” he added.

Schmeltzer also addressed the issue of refugees, praising the KRG's transparency and efforts. He noted that Germany shares the concerns of Iraqi refugees and Yezidis in the Kurdistan Region. “The recognition of the genocide of the Yezidis in the German parliament will be a good start,” Schmeltzer stated. “We have a project here for mutual acceptance that will be historic when completed.”

Interior Minister Ahmed expressed gratitude to Yuksel for facilitating the meeting and emphasized the importance of collaborative efforts in promoting democracy in the Middle East. “With your help and that of our friends, we can provide a better example of democracy in the Middle East,” Ahmed said.

The visit marks a significant step in enhancing cooperation and mutual understanding between the Kurdistan Region and North Rhine-Westphalia.