Tale of two cities: Erbil and Paris sign ‘Friendship and Coordination’ deal
ERBIL, Kurdistan Region – Erbil and Paris signed a “Friendship and Coordination” agreement on Monday allowing the Kurdish and French capitals to exchange expertise on sustainable development.
“This agreement that was signed today will boost relations, assistance, and coordination between the people of Erbil and Paris, and the governmental institutions to make use of each other’s experiences,” Nawzad Hadi, governor of Erbil, told Rudaw after the official signing.
Both Erbil and Paris will work as “sister cities” from now on, collaborating on municipalities, the environment, and culture, the governor said.
Paris will assist Erbil in grant applications and give the Kurdistan Region capital a boost on the international stage, the governor added.
Rudaw obtained a copy of the agreement, written in French and Kurdish.
“The exchanges will further bolster the natural resources of the different areas in a sustainable manner, and solutions that strongly address climate change and natural calamities in a manner that meets the needs of the residents and is a source for natural protection,” reads the first section.
Solutions and sustainable development efforts include the upkeep of roads, the updating of city maps, support for residents, and protections for archeological sites.
The first section will also cover economic development and raising demand for trade, tourism, cultural exchanges, and sporting events.
Erbil’s longstanding problems with garbage and litter will also be addressed, as will the protection of animal and plant life and agriculture.
The second section of the agreement details how governance and technical expertise will be exchanged. Exchange programs will be organized through the Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG) representation office in Paris and the French consulate in Erbil.
Ali Dolamari, KRG representative to France, told Rudaw the next step is to establish a similar relationship between Rwanda’s Kigali and the Kurdistan Region’s Halabja – two cities which have endured the horror of genocide.
A Kurdistan Region delegation accompanied the Mayor of Paris Anne Hidalgo to Kigali on June 5 for a summit of the International Association for French-Speaking Mayor (AIMF).
Hidalgo told delegates at the summit the AIMF hopes to benefit from Erbil’s expertise in rehoming and supporting displaced communities.
Paris has also struggled with the influx of refugees from the Middle East and Africa in recent years. An estimated 2,000 migrants live on the city’s streets and in illegal, makeshift camps, according to an unofficial census by the refugee organization France Terre d’Asile (FTA).
France has been a staunch supporter of the Kurdistan Region prior to and through the Islamic State (ISIS) conflict.
Paris was instrumental in the establishment of the no-fly zone that allowed de facto semi-autonomy from Baghdad and shielded Kurds from the previous regime’s massacre nearly 30 years ago.
Relations between the KRG and France have continued through the US liberation, insurgency, and the territorial defeat of ISIS.
Nechirvan Barzani, President of the Kurdistan Region, was in Paris last week, where he met with French President Emmanuel Macron and Foreign Minister Jean-Yves Le Drian.
The French military has served as a key member of the US-led international anti-ISIS coalition. They advise, assist, and train the Kurdistan Region’s Peshmerga forces as they jointly continue to fight the extremist group’s remnants.
France has also been a strong advocate for the efforts of the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF), a coalition-partnered ground force in Syria comprised predominately of forces from the Kurdish-led People’s Protection Units (YPG).
“This agreement that was signed today will boost relations, assistance, and coordination between the people of Erbil and Paris, and the governmental institutions to make use of each other’s experiences,” Nawzad Hadi, governor of Erbil, told Rudaw after the official signing.
Both Erbil and Paris will work as “sister cities” from now on, collaborating on municipalities, the environment, and culture, the governor said.
Paris will assist Erbil in grant applications and give the Kurdistan Region capital a boost on the international stage, the governor added.
Rudaw obtained a copy of the agreement, written in French and Kurdish.
“The exchanges will further bolster the natural resources of the different areas in a sustainable manner, and solutions that strongly address climate change and natural calamities in a manner that meets the needs of the residents and is a source for natural protection,” reads the first section.
Solutions and sustainable development efforts include the upkeep of roads, the updating of city maps, support for residents, and protections for archeological sites.
The first section will also cover economic development and raising demand for trade, tourism, cultural exchanges, and sporting events.
Erbil’s longstanding problems with garbage and litter will also be addressed, as will the protection of animal and plant life and agriculture.
The second section of the agreement details how governance and technical expertise will be exchanged. Exchange programs will be organized through the Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG) representation office in Paris and the French consulate in Erbil.
Ali Dolamari, KRG representative to France, told Rudaw the next step is to establish a similar relationship between Rwanda’s Kigali and the Kurdistan Region’s Halabja – two cities which have endured the horror of genocide.
A Kurdistan Region delegation accompanied the Mayor of Paris Anne Hidalgo to Kigali on June 5 for a summit of the International Association for French-Speaking Mayor (AIMF).
Hidalgo told delegates at the summit the AIMF hopes to benefit from Erbil’s expertise in rehoming and supporting displaced communities.
Paris has also struggled with the influx of refugees from the Middle East and Africa in recent years. An estimated 2,000 migrants live on the city’s streets and in illegal, makeshift camps, according to an unofficial census by the refugee organization France Terre d’Asile (FTA).
France has been a staunch supporter of the Kurdistan Region prior to and through the Islamic State (ISIS) conflict.
Paris was instrumental in the establishment of the no-fly zone that allowed de facto semi-autonomy from Baghdad and shielded Kurds from the previous regime’s massacre nearly 30 years ago.
Relations between the KRG and France have continued through the US liberation, insurgency, and the territorial defeat of ISIS.
Nechirvan Barzani, President of the Kurdistan Region, was in Paris last week, where he met with French President Emmanuel Macron and Foreign Minister Jean-Yves Le Drian.
The French military has served as a key member of the US-led international anti-ISIS coalition. They advise, assist, and train the Kurdistan Region’s Peshmerga forces as they jointly continue to fight the extremist group’s remnants.
France has also been a strong advocate for the efforts of the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF), a coalition-partnered ground force in Syria comprised predominately of forces from the Kurdish-led People’s Protection Units (YPG).