Dutch Ambassador talks Peshmerga reform with senior KRG official

“Obviously, it’s a long process, but, step by step, we see progress being made.”

Wladimir van Wilgenburg 2022/02/09 17:33

Deputy KRG Peshmerga Minister Sarbast Lazgin meets Dutch Ambassador to Iraq Michel Rentenaar in Erbil on Feb. 9, 2022. (Photo: Ministry of Peshmerga)

Kurdistan Krg Peshmerga Netherlands Unit 80 KDP PUK Unit 70

ERBIL (Kurdistan 24) – Deputy Kurdistan Region Peshmerga Minister Sarbast Lazgin on Wednesday met the Dutch Ambassador to Iraq, Michel Rentenaar, to discuss efforts to reform the Kurdish forces with the support of Western allies.

The ministry said in a statement that the officials discussed "the unification" of Kurdish troops under the Peshmerga Ministry's command as well as other bureaucratic reforms within the government department.

Today Dutch ambassador @MRentenaar visited the deputy minister, Mr Sarbast Lazgin of MoPA. Main topics discussed were the unification of the armed forces under the umbrella of @KRG_MOPE and the #reform process of the Ministry of Peshmerga. pic.twitter.com/VNVY8wr8DV
— Hans Akerboom (@jtmakerboom) February 9, 2022

"I had a meeting with the Deputy Minister to discuss our ongoing cooperation between the Netherlands and the Kurdistan Regional Government in order to really unify the Peshmerga forces under the Ministry of Peshmerga Affairs," Ambassador Rentenaar told Kurdistan 24 after the meeting.

The Netherlands, the US, the UK, and Germany form the unique Multi-National Advisory Group (MNAG) that enthusiastically supports the project to establish a modern, effective, affordable, and accountable Peshmerga force under the control of the KRG.

As part of those efforts, Kurdish leaders decided last year to put heavy support units of the KDP's Unit 80 and the PUK's Unit 70 under the command of the Ministry of Peshmerga.

MNAG welcomed the move.

The ambassador stated that "Obviously, it's a long process, but, step by step, we see progress being made, especially in the area of pension reform" and electronic payments. He also highlighted the "very positive" efforts to unify the troops under one command.

"It's more effective to have one unified Kurdish army. It's all about changing the culture and really defending the interest of the Kurdish people and not of the different political parties."