Kurdistan Regional Government
Representation in Italy
On December 9, Deputy Foreign Minister Lapo Pistelli met at the Farnesina with Minister Falah Mustafa Bakir, Head of the Department of Foreign Affairs of the Kurdistan Regional Government of Iraq, and his delegation, accompanied by Dr. Rezan Kader, High Representative of the Kurdistan Regional Government in Italy.
During their discussions, the topic of humanitarian support for Syrian refugees sheltering in the autonomous region of Kurdistan was addressed. Minister Falah Mustafa conveyed his Government's thanks for the Farnesina's allocation of €300,000 in emergency humanitarian aid through Development Cooperation. This is in addition to the contribution made in responding to UNICEF's appeal to provide drinking water to 27,000 refugees in three refugee camps in the Erbil Governorate. New humanitarian initiatives to provide relief to Syrian refugees have been evaluated as part of the additional resources the Italian government intends to allocate, based on the commitment made by Prime Minister Letta at the G20 summit in St. Petersburg.
Deputy Minister Pistelli emphasized that Italy intends to develop collaboration with the Erbil authorities to the fullest extent possible, in full compliance with the internal law of the Republic of Iraq. "It is in our mutual interest to promote the convergence of Kurdistan's investment capabilities and the top-notch expertise of Italian companies," Deputy Minister Pistelli stated at the conclusion of the meeting.
Minister Falah, for his part, emphasized the importance of relations with Italy and the strong interest in intensifying collaboration in all sectors, starting with economic and commercial ones.