President Masoud Barzani Welcomes UAE Delegation, Praises Longstanding Friendship
The UAE delegation expressed their pleasure at visiting the Kurdistan Region and meeting with President Barzani.
ERBIL (Kurdistan24) — President Masoud Barzani on Thursday received a high-level delegation from the United Arab Emirates (UAE), led by Saeed Hajeri, Minister of State and Special Envoy for Economic Affairs to the Kurdistan Region, at his headquarters in Erbil’s Pirmam district.
According to a statement from Barzani Headquarters, the UAE delegation expressed their pleasure at visiting the Kurdistan Region and meeting with President Barzani. They conveyed the UAE leadership’s strong commitment to deepening ties with the Kurdistan Region and highlighted their readiness to expand economic cooperation and explore new areas of partnership.
The delegation also expressed appreciation for the opportunities provided during their meetings in Erbil to enhance bilateral relations, particularly in the economic and investment fields.
President Barzani thanked the UAE leadership, government, and people for their longstanding support to the Kurdistan Region, particularly through humanitarian organizations during the arrival of hundreds of thousands of refugees in recent years.
The meeting also included discussions on the latest regional developments.
Previously, the delegation met with Kurdistan Region Prime Minister Masrour Barzani. Also, on Wednesday, they met with Kurdistan Region President Nechirvan Barzani. The delegation arrived in Erbil on Tuesday. Their visit highlights the deepening political and commercial partnership between the two, with the UAE being a major investor in the region.
The Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG) is actively seeking to diversify its economy and attract foreign investment, and this visit is a key part of its strategy. A KRG Investment Board delegation has also been in the UAE to encourage further Emirati investment.
The UAE is already one of the Kurdistan Region's largest trading partners, with over 120 Emirati companies operating there, including 15 large ones. Total direct investment from the UAE exceeds $3.3 billion, with an additional $420 million in joint ventures. This investment has created over 150,000 jobs in the past four years.
Pana Niazi, Head of Marketing at the KRG's Foreign Investment Attraction Unit, confirmed an open-door policy for Emirati businesses in sectors like industry, construction, tourism, agriculture, and renewable energy. This outreach to the UAE is the first step in a broader four-year strategy to attract foreign investors from other countries, with an initial focus on the Gulf states.
This visit follows a recent visit by a U.S. business delegation, further solidifying the Kurdistan Region's reputation as an attractive destination for international capital.
The UAE was among the first Gulf states to establish a strong presence in the Kurdistan Region, opening a consulate in Erbil in 2012, which became a focal point for deepening bilateral ties.
