Department of Foreign Relations

The Department of Foreign Relations is mandated to promote the interests of the Kurdistan Region and its people in regard to relations with the international community, in accordance with the Region’s legislation and the Constitution of the Republic of Iraq.

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Statement by Minister Safeen Dizayee on United Nations Day 2020

Erbil, Kurdistan Region, Iraq (GOV.KRD) – The Head of Department of Foreign Relations (DFR) Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG), Minister Safeen Dizayee, today issued the following statement on United Nations Day:

“Seventy-five years on, the United Nations has more of a difficult task today than was first intended. Despite decades of commendable performance, the United Nations should not only be engaged with nation states but nations without states too, and do more to guarantee minority rights.

“On this day, we reflect on the United Nations’ role in the Kurdistan Region over decades: The Oil-for-Food Programme of the 1990s; strategic partnership with the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) to conserve Erbil Citadel world heritage site; cooperation on humanitarian assistance to IDPs and refugees; programs to empower women; the United Nations Investigative Team to Promote Accountability for Crimes Committed by ISIS (UNITAD)'s investigations; and the United Nations Special Representative of the Secretary General’s support for the Sinjar normalisation agreement between Erbil and Baghdad.

“We reaffirm the importance of the United Nations for the Kurdistan Region in humanitarian assistance, promoting peaceful coexistence, investigating crimes against humanity, and empowering women and we look forward to continuing our partnership in more vital areas.”

24 Oct 2020

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