On August 21, 2019, H.E. Rebar Ahmed, the Kurdistan Regional Government’s (KRG) Minister of Interior at the Joint Crisis Coordination Centre (JCC) welcomed Mrs. Annegret Kramp-Karrenbauer, Germany’s Defense Minister and accompanying delegation that included Bundestag (Parliament) members, German Ambassador to Iraq, German Consul General in Erbil and the KRG Representative in Germany.
Minister Ahmed warmly welcomed Mrs. Karrenbauer and the accompanied delegation, expressing his gratitude for the visit and on behalf of the KRG Prime Minister and the people of the Kurdistan Region thanked the government and the people of Germany for the continued military and humanitarian support and cooperation with the Kurdistan Region during the past five years. Minister then briefed the delegation about the political, security, humanitarian situation as well as the relations between Erbil and Baghdad, urging Germany to continue its military and humanitarian support for the Region.
Mrs. Karrenbauer thanked Interior Minister for the warm welcome stating that the purpose of the visit is to have direct discussion with the relevant authorities on the current situation, needs and the future steps to add them in the future plan. She thanked the KRG and the people of the Kurdistan Region for hosting a large number of IDPs and refugees.
Both sides also discussed strengthening cooperation and collaboration between the Kurdistan Region and Germany’s government agencies and institutions and deliver more humanitarian assistance to the displaced people residing in the Region.
In the meeting, Mr. Hoshang Mohamed, Director General of JCC, gave a presentation on the current humanitarian situation, the number of IDPs and refugees in the Region, the barriers before the return of the displaced people. He also highlighted the good cooperation and collaboration between the JCC and German agencies working in the humanitarian field as well as the ongoing projects.
Daniela Decker, Training Coordinator at the German Agency for Technical Relief’s (THW) International Division, briefed the meeting about the programs and projects has been implemented by the THW since they commenced work in the Kurdistan Region in 2013.
Representative of the German Corporation for International Cooperation (GIZ) also briefed the delegation about their projects implemented in the past years and expressed their satisfaction for the cooperation and coordination as with the Ministry of Interior, including with the JCC.
