Kurdistan Region and France Ink MoU to Enhance Crisis Management and Institutional Capacity

On Monday, 9 December 2024, in the presence of Rebar Ahmed, Minister of the Interior, and Yann Braem, Consul General of the Republic of France in the Kurdistan Region, a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) was signed by Srwa Rasul, Director General of the Joint Crisis Coordination Centre (JCC), and Tahar Benattia, Programme Director of the French Agency for Technical Expertise in Iraq.

The MoU will serve as the overarching roadmap for coordination and collaboration between the JCC and FEA in the next phase. It marks a significant step towards building and strengthening institutional infrastructure in the Kurdistan Region, elevating the crisis and disaster management system to a new level.

During a press conference, Minister Ahmed emphasised the significance of the MoU, noting that the FEA has secured €1.5 million in funding from the European Union for the project’s first phase. This initiative aims to enhance community resilience and disaster response by leveraging France's expertise, while providing logistical support and specialised knowledge, particularly for civil defence teams. He expressed gratitude to France for its continuous support to the KRG.

The Minister of Interior highlighted the Kurdistan Regional Government’s efforts, under the leadership of Prime Minister Masrour Barzani, to enhance institutional capacity. In this context, the Ministry of Interior has partnered with several countries to advance these initiatives.

Consul General Braem underscored the importance of the MoU, particularly in strengthening the capacity building of KRG institutions and providing support to victims during crises and disasters. He highlighted France’s extensive expertise in water rescue and firefighting, two critical components of effective crisis response.