France’s Consul General in Erbil Yann Braem on Wednesday met with Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG) Prime Minister Masrour Barzani and expressed support for the upcoming Kurdistan Region parliamentary election, which will be held on October 20, 2024.
Merci de m'avoir reçu M. le PM @masrourbarzani pour évoquer:
— Yann Braem (@YannBraem) September 11, 2024
➡️les échéances des relations France #Kurdistan, notamment le forum d'affaires du 23/09 à Paris
➡️la situation politique & sécuritaire régionale
➡️ le soutien de la France aux élections législatives au #Kurdistan d'Irak pic.twitter.com/he0x4rDlFS
Consul General Braem said in a post on X that they discussed the regional political and security situation and “France’s support for the legislative elections in the Kurdistan Region of Iraq.”
On August 21, Prime Minister Barzani told UN Deputy Special Representative of the Secretary-General for Political Affairs and Electoral Assistance Claudio Cordone that the elections should be carried out in a free, fair, and transparent manner, free from manipulation and fraud.
“Thank you for receiving me, Mr. Prime Minister @masrourbarzani, to discuss the upcoming events in France-Kurdistan relations, particularly the business forum on 23/09 in Paris,” Consul General Braem posted on X.
Read More: KRG Prime Minister Discusses Upcoming Elections With UN Official
The first France-Kurdistan Economic Forum will take place on September 23, 2024, in Paris, and will focus on enhancing economic relations between the Kurdistan Region and France.
Mr. Yann Braem, the Consul General of France, shares insights on the France-Kurdistan Economic Forum and its impact on strengthening bilateral economic relations. Discover the potential for new partnerships and economic advancement.#FKEF24 #EconomicCollaboration pic.twitter.com/OGcB0h0rHG
— Invest Kurdistan (@InvestKRI) September 9, 2024
“For us it’s extremely important that there should be direct contact, giving us a chance to get to know each other and ensuring that the opportunities that are present in Kurdistan can be seized by French companies,” Consul General Braem told Invest Kurdistan, which is managed by the foreign direct investment unit of the KRG Board of Investment.
Read More: The Kurds Have No Better Friends than France
The Kurdistan Region and France have strong historical and political ties. France played a decisive role in pushing the world to react to Saddam Hussein’s persecution of the Kurds in 1991, which eventually led to the creation of a no-fly zone over the Kurdistan Region.
Moreover, France was one of the first countries to open a consulate in Erbil in 2008, and supported the Kurdish peshmerga forces in the war against ISIS. Also after the September 2017 referendum, France broke the diplomatic embargo and invited Kurdistan Region President Nechirvan Barzani to the Elysee Palace in December 2017.
In July this year, President Barzani attended the opening ceremony of the 2024 Olympic Games and was received by French President Emmanuel Macron.
Read More: PM Barzani Meets with French Senate President, Paris Mayor
“What we have with the Kurdistan Region is a relationship of trust and friendship that is extremely strong and diverse. We want to continue enriching contact with the business community, which will contribute directly to the relationship we have between France and Kurdistan,” Consul General Braem concluded.
