ERBIL, Kurdistan Region — Kurdistan Region President Nechirvan Barzani arrived in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) on Friday upon an official invitation from Abu Dhabi’s Crown Prince Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed al-Nahyan.
Both leaders are expected to discuss boosting bilateral relations during a meeting on Saturday, according to Barzani’s office.
“The meeting is expected to focus on strengthening of relations between the Kurdistan Region and the United Arab Emirates and ways to expand areas of mutual cooperation between Iraq, the Kurdistan Region and the UAE. Discussions will also cover the latest developments in the wider region,” read a statement from the presidency.
Barzani was invited to the UAE by the Abu Dhabi crown prince, who is also the de facto ruler of the UAE, on May 3 when the president met with the UAE’s Consul General in Erbil.
Consul General Ahmed Ibrahim al-Dhaheri, who was among UAE officials who received Barzani in Abu Dhabi on Friday, told Rudaw “there definitely are historical relations between the United Arab Emirates and Iraq, especially with the Kurdistan Region of Iraq.”
Dhaheri said that relations with the UAE were established by Masoud Barzani, who was the president of the Region between 2005 to 2017. He “had a strong contact with the United Arab Emirates,” said the consul general, describing Nechirvan Barzani’s visit to his country as the continuation of these “historical” relations.
“Today, young leaders, including President Nechirvan, definitely play a great role in Iraq, the region and the world.”
The UAE is among countries that have provided the most aid to the Kurdistan Region after the Islamic State (ISIS) attack on Iraq and Syria in 2014. Emirates Red Crescent has been one of the key donors of Barzani Charity Organization (BCF) which runs most of the IDP and refugee camps in the Region.
Emirates Red Crescent opened a modern centre for autism in Erbil on May 26, which will provide treatment for hundreds of autistic children free of charge.
Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG) officials have often said they want to turn Erbil into another Abu Dhabi in terms of construction and economic boost. However, the economic crisis KRG has been suffering for nearly a decade has made this a long shot.
The presidency’s chief of staff Fawzi Hariri told Rudaw in Abu Dhabi that there are “many mutual points of interests” between UAE and the Region, including “the fight against terrorism, violence and extremist ideology as well as the security of the region, boosting of economy, improving the quality of people’s lives in the region.”
UAE and three other countries were elected as members of the United Nations Security Council on Friday for a two-year term which begins next year. This is the second time the UAE has become a member, with the first one being a one-year term in 1986.
Hariri congratulated the UAE, saying they can benefit from this.
