Kurdistan Region Prime Minister Masrour Barzani Arrives in Cairo on Official Visit
Talks with President el-Sisi to focus on strengthening Kurdistan Region–Egypt ties and regional developments.
ERBIL (Kurdistan24) — Kurdistan Region Prime Minister Masrour Barzani arrived in Cairo on Saturday, on an official visit to Egypt, where he was received by Egyptian Minister of Culture Ahmed Fouad Henu and several senior Egyptian officials.
During the visit, Prime Minister Barzani is scheduled to hold talks with Egyptian President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi, as well as other high-ranking officials, on enhancing bilateral relations between the Kurdistan Region and Egypt.
Discussions will also cover the latest political developments in Iraq and the broader region.
The visit underscores the Kurdistan Region’s efforts to expand diplomatic engagement with key regional partners and deepen cooperation across political, economic, and cultural fields, amid ongoing shifts in Iraq’s internal dynamics and the wider Middle East.
Relations between Egypt and the Kurdistan Region have steadily developed over the past two decades, grounded in economic and cultural cooperation and shared interests in regional stability. Cairo has consistently viewed the Kurdistan Region as a stabilizing and constructive actor within Iraq, while the Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG) has regarded Egypt as a pivotal Arab partner with significant diplomatic weight in Middle Eastern affairs.
Economic and trade relations have expanded, with Egyptian companies increasingly active in the Kurdistan Region across construction, housing, infrastructure, energy services, and consumer goods.
The Kurdistan Region has become an important destination for Egyptian labor and investment, while Erbil has sought to benefit from Egypt’s expertise in large-scale development projects, industrial production, and cultural industries. Air connectivity and trade facilitation have further supported people-to-people and business ties.
Cultural and educational cooperation represents another pillar of the relationship. Egypt’s long-standing role as a cultural and intellectual center of the Arab world has resonated strongly in the Kurdistan Region, with academic exchanges, media cooperation, and cultural initiatives reinforcing mutual understanding.
Kurdish students have studied in Egyptian universities, while Egyptian cultural institutions have engaged with counterparts in Erbil and other cities in the Region.
On regional and security issues, both sides share concerns over extremism, terrorism, and political fragmentation in the Middle East. The Kurdistan Region’s role in the fight against the Islamic State group and Egypt’s broader counterterrorism efforts have provided common ground for coordination and political alignment. Cairo has repeatedly expressed support for stability in the Kurdistan Region, viewing it as essential to the security of Iraq and the wider region.
Overall, relations between Egypt and the Kurdistan Region have evolved into a multidimensional partnership, combining political dialogue, economic cooperation, and cultural exchange. High-level visits, such as Saturday's visit by Prime Minister Barzani to Cairo, reflect a mutual desire to further institutionalize ties and elevate cooperation in response to shifting regional dynamics and shared strategic challenges.