The UNHCR Special Envoy, Angelina Jolie, along with UNCHR’s senior team in Iraq, visits Erbil and is received by H.E. Safin Dizayee, the KRG’s Spokesperson and the chief of staff of the KRG’s Prime Minister.
Safin Dizayee, on behalf of the Prime Minister Nechirvan Barzani and KRG, welcomed the delegation and thanked Ms. Jolie for her continued attention to the misery of the displaced people hosted in Kurdistan Region. He said that the KRG appreciates her continued visits to Kurdistan to closely see the situation of the internally displaced people (IDPs) and Syrian Refugees in Kurdistan Region.
Mr. Dizayee briefed the delegation about the current situation in the Kurdistan Region including the humanitarian crisis of the IDPs and refugees, the economic, financial crisis and the aftermath of ISIS war and its impact on the entire communities as well as the role of the Peshmerga forces in fighting the ISIS during the last four years. Additionally, Mr. Dizayee highlighted the KRG’s humanitarian policy and the importance of more cooperation and coordination between the KRG, UN-Agencies and international community to support and provide better civic services to the displaced people.
Ms. Jolie thanked the Kurdistan Regional Government and the People of Kurdistan for hosting such a large number of the displaced people and continuing to support them. She said that the Kurdistan Region has played a very good role in supporting these vulnerable people and is a model for this kind of humanitarian assistance.
She assured the KRG that she will continue to convey the plight of the displaced people to the attention of the international community to encourage more support to Kurdistan Region.
Then, both sides, exchanged views and ideas on how to strengthen cooperation and coordination between KRG, UNHCR and other humanitarian agencies to build back the life of displaced people better before the buildings. UNHCR and KRG agreed to continue such dialogue to find creative initiatives beyond material support to assist the displaced people until the conditions are met so that they return to their place origin voluntarily with respect and dignity.
Currently Kurdistan Region is hosting 1.4 million IDPs and Refugees; 97% of the Syrian refugees in Iraq in which 37% live in 9 camps while others live in the host communities and 40% of the internally displaced Iraqis, whom 81% live with the host communities and the rest live in 30 camps across the region.
