Common agreement between Erbil-Baghdad is essential for a stable Iraq: Dutch Ambassador

“There should be a solid, comprehensive agreement on all the outstanding issues between Erbil and Baghdad.”

Wladimir van Wilgenburg 2023/10/13 23:10

Dutch Ambassador Hans Sandee speaks to Kurdistan 24 on the sidelines of the MERI forum, Oct. 11. 2023 (Photo: Kurdistan 24).

Kurdistan Netherlands Hans Sandee Dutch Embassy in Iraq Agriculture Sinjar agreement MERI Forum 2023

ERBIL (Kurdistan 24) – Dutch Ambassador Hans Sandee told Kurdistan 24 on Wednesday on the sidelines of the MERI Forum, that there should be a solid and comprehensive agreement on all outstanding issues between Erbil and Baghdad.

“There should be a common agreement about budgetary issues, they are really essential, both for Baghdad and for the Kurdistan region. But also of course, such a solution should be found within the parameters of the constitution and also of the budgetary law,” he said.

Moreover, he referred to the statements of Special Representative of the United Nations Secretary-General for Iraq Jeanine Hennis-Plasschaert to the UN Security Council on Oct. 10, where she mentioned the recent Erbil-Baghdad agreement on giving loans to the Kurdistan Region “is temporary in nature and therefore not enough.”

“Hence, more and urgent work lies ahead so as to avoid a new period of uncertainty for the Region’s public servants,” she said.

“I really can only support what she said that there should be a solid, comprehensive agreement on all the outstanding issues between Erbil and Baghdad,” Dutch Ambassador Sandee added.

“Because it's key and crucial that this relationship is a positive one and a stable one and a stable Kurdistan is important for a stable Iraq and a stable Iraq is important for the whole of the MENA region.”

Furthermore, he said the Netherlands has cooperation with the KRG on an institutional level and also has a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Kurdistan Region. Ambassador Sandee also said the Netherlands has several agricultural projects, when it comes to potatoes and seeds, and business and business cooperation.

“We try to stimulate these businesses to do business here in the Kurdistan region, and are quite successful. Many of the interlocutors when I'm here in Kurdistan really appreciate the role of the Dutch companies and the Dutch potatoes, you can now call them Kurdish potatoes, which are mentioned everywhere. So that's really good to hear.”

Moreover, he said that the Netherlands supports Iraq and the Kurdistan Region when it comes to security and stability.

The Netherlands have deployed a total of 281 Dutch troops in Iraq. This includes a total of 11 Dutch soldiers stationed in the Kurdistan Region to advise and assist Kurdish Peshmerga forces.

“When it comes to the security and stability of Iraq, but also of the Kurdistan Region, the Netherlands is and will remain committed,” the Dutch Ambassador Sandee said.

“So we also will remain to support the Peshmerga reform and of course, having said that, we also have to note that the progress when it comes to the (Peshmerga) reform is limited. There was progress, definitely, also the president Nechirvan Barzani referred to that yesterday in the MERI Forum, but the progress is not enough.”

“So definitely more steps, quicker steps, have to be taken there. That's important. And that's also in the interest of the Peshmerga themselves.”

The Dutch Ambassador Sandee also said the Sinjar agreement must be implemented as fast as possible. Kurdish officials as well as UN officials have underlined that the agreement signed in Oct. 2020 has not been implemented.

“It's a complicated situation, given all the actors active and around Sinjar, especially also the non-state actors,” he said.

“But as soon as it's being implemented, the better, but of course it should also be implemented in a sustainable, durable manner. For instance, if Yezidi’s return, there should be real prospects for them to make good livelihoods to make a decent living there,” he added.

He underlined that the Netherlands does a lot to help support the Yezidi’s, and other minorities, to promote their interest through programs and activities in Iraq.