The Secretary of State, Charis Theocharis, held a two-day visit to the Iraqi Kurdistan Region, taking part in the Delphi International Forum held in Suleymaniya.
As part of his visit, he held a series of meetings with representatives of the political and business leadership of the region, with a view to strengthening bilateral relations and cooperation prospects.
On the first day of his visit, the Deputy Foreign Minister took part in the Delphi International Forum, in the panel discussion on “The Middle East as a Partner: beyond Crisis, Toward Shared Interests”. Theocharis demonstrated Greece’s role as a pillar of stability and a reliable partner in the wider region of the Eastern Mediterranean and the Middle East.
On the sidelines of the Forum, Mr. Theocharis met with the Deputy Prime Minister of the Government of the Kurdistan Region of Iraq, Qubad Talabani, with whom he discussed the prospects for further strengthening relations with Greece, as well as current developments in the wider region.
On the second day of his trip and after arriving in Erbil, the Deputy Minister was received by the Prime Minister of the Iraqi Kurdistan Region government, Masrour Barzani. The conversation focused on the prospects for deepening cooperation between Greece and the Iraqi Kurdistan Region in the fields of economy, investment, energy, infrastructure and trade. An extensive and constructive dialogue was also held on regional developments and security challenges in the wider region.
In addition, the Deputy Minister met with the Head of the Foreign Relations Department of the Government of Iraqi Kurdistan Region, Safeen Dizayee, with whom they exchanged views on regional and international developments, as well as on ways to strengthen institutional cooperation.
In conclusion, economic diplomacy was the common thread in all the contacts Theocharis had in Iraqi Kurdistan. In this context, moreover, additional meetings were held with the Deputy Minister of Commerce and Industry, Sarwar Hawari, the Chairman of the District’s Board of Investment, Dr. Mohammed Shukri, the President and management of the Erbil Chamber of Commerce & Industry, as well as with business representatives.
The discussions, which took place in a very friendly atmosphere focused on the investment opportunities presented by the Region of Iraqi Kurdistan and the potential for developing partnerships with Greek companies in sectors such as construction, building materials, energy, agri-food and services.
The Deputy Minister underlined Greece’s growing interest in the further development of economic and trade relations with the Region of Iraqi Kurdistan and reiterated the Greek side’s willingness to strengthen the channels of political and business dialogue for mutual benefit.
