PM Barzani Receives Top UAE Delegation to Boost Governance and Innovation Cooperation

ERBIL (Kurdistan24) — Kurdistan Region Prime Minister Masrour Barzani on Tuesday received a high-level delegation from the Government of the United Arab Emirates (UAE), led by Abdulla Nasser Lootah, Assistant Minister of Cabinet Affairs for Competitiveness and Experience Exchange, representing the UAE Prime Minister’s Office and the Government Experience Exchange Office, according to a statement from the Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG).

The delegation included senior officials from the UAE Prime Minister’s Office and the Ministries of Cabinet Affairs, Climate Change and Environment, Telecommunications and Digital Government, and Health and Prevention.

Prime Minister Barzani expressed his appreciation to the visiting delegation for conducting a government experience exchange program in the Kurdistan Region and sharing their expertise with KRG institutions. He extended his greetings to Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan and Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, thanking them for their support of the initiative.

As part of the visit, UAE and KRG officials held nine focused roundtables to identify priority areas of cooperation, including government strategy, digitalization, future foresight, investment and the economy, healthcare, climate change, logistics, aviation, and capacity building—further strengthening ties between the two governments.

During the discussions, both sides announced more than 30 joint initiatives aimed at bringing UAE expertise to the Kurdistan Region. Key projects include the establishment of a Government Performance Management System, which will enable the KRG to monitor ministerial performance through a centralized dashboard, enhance decision-making, and ensure accountability. Another major initiative, the Kurdistan Coders Program, will train up to 30,000 young people in coding, artificial intelligence, and digital literacy to empower a new generation of innovators and entrepreneurs.

The UAE delegation expressed gratitude for the KRG’s partnership and hospitality, reaffirming their commitment to strengthening cooperation in governance, digital transformation, and innovation.

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.

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.