President Nechirvan Barzani, UK Security Minister discuss combating organized crime, among other matters

Both sides also discussed a memorandum of understanding to be signed between the KRG and the UK Government.

Wladimir van Wilgenburg 2023/08/23 21:15

Kurdistan Region President Nechirvan Barzani (right) during his meeting the UK’s Minister of State for Security Tom Tugendhat, Aug. 23, 2023. (Photo: Kurdistan Region Presidency)

Kurdistan Nechirvan Barzani Tom Tungendhat Reber Ahmed UK Ambassador to Iraq UK Consulate General in Erbil

ERBIL (Kurdistan 24) – Kurdistan Region President Nechirvan Barzani on Wednesday discussed regional organized crime cooperation, among other matters, with the United Kingdom’s Minister of State for Security Tom Tugendhat.

During his visit to Erbil on Wednesday, UK Security Minister Tom Tugendhat was welcomed by President Barzani, the Deputy Prime Minister Qubad Talabani, and the Minister of Interior Rebar Ahmed, the UK Home Office said in a press release.

Earlier Tugendhat also visited Baghdad, where he met with senior Iraqi officials, including Iraqi PM Mohammad Shia al-Sudani, Iraqi FM Fuad Hussein, and Minister of Interior, Lt Gen Abdul-Amir al-Shammeri.

“I’m pleased that we will boosting our joint efforts to crack down on human trafficking, narcotics and money laundering, and strengthening our important partnership in the fight against terror,” Tugendhat said on his Iraq visit.

Moreover, he said he is working with Baghdad to bring “criminal gangs” to justice who operate small boat crossings that smuggle migrants in the English Channel.

President Barzani and Tugendhat also stressed the importance of the UK’s joint cooperation with Iraq and the Kurdistan Region to reduce illegal immigration and to combat organized crimes, the Kurdistan Region Presidency said in a press statement.

Moreover, they agreed that joint regional cooperation is necessary to prevent the spread of drugs in the region.

Both sides also discussed a memorandum of understanding to be signed between the Kurdistan Regional Government and the UK Government.

Tom Tungendhat, the UK’s Security Minister, and I signed a Declaration of Intent, formalizing #UK-#KRG collaboration and underscoring joint commitment to intensify cooperation and safeguard the security and wellbeing of our citizens against transnational organized crime. Thanks… pic.twitter.com/Mg0yGXEWCr
— Rêber Ahmed (@RayberAhmed) August 23, 2023

Kurdistan Region Minister of Interior Reber Ahmed in a tweet confirmed that they signed a "Declaration of Intent, formalizing UK-KRG collaboration and underscoring joint commitment to intensify cooperation and safeguard the security and wellbeing of our citizens against transnational organized crime."

The UK Home Office said “the minister made progress on negotiating a new agreement with the government of Iraq and the Kurdistan Regional Government that will strengthen our efforts to tackle serious organised crime, including organised immigration crime, human trafficking and narcotics.”

Iraq and the UK are preparing to sign a statement of intent to tackle shared organized crime threats in the coming weeks.

The UK also pushed for the the full implementation of the Yazidi Survivors Law, which provides compensation for the acts of genocide the Yezidis suffered under ISIS in August 2014.

In addition, the Kurdistan Region Presidency’s Office said both sides agreed on the necessity of strengthening solidarity and unity in the Kurdistan Region and the importance of holding elections on time.

In early August, President Nechirvan Barzani set the date for parliamentary elections in KRI to be held on Feb. 25, 2024, which was welcomed by several Western diplomatic missions.

However, there are still fears the elections could be delayed again due to disputes between the Patriotic Union of Kurdistan (PUK) and the Kurdistan Democratic Party (KDP). Elections were earlier delayed due to political disputes.

President Barzani stressed in the meeting “that the Kurdistan Region is committed to holding general elections which grants legitimacy to the Kurdistan Region.”