Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG) Prime Minister Masrour Barzani on Monday welcomed the newly appointed Dutch Ambassador to Iraq Janet Alberda and expressed gratitude to the Netherlands for its ongoing assistance to the Kurdistan Region.

Prime Minister Barzani congratulated Ambassador Alberda on her appointment and expressed his full support for strengthening bilateral relations between the Kurdistan Region and the Netherlands, according to a readout from the Prime Minister’s Office.

We're excited to announce H.E. Janet Alberda as the new Netherlands Ambassador to #Iraq! After serving as Consul General in Kurdistan (2016-2018) she’s thrilled to return and presented her credentials to Minister Dr. Fuad Hussein today. Looking forward to strengthening ???? ties!

— Netherlands Embassy In Iraq ???? (@NLinIQ) September 4, 2024

The Dutch Embassy in Iraq in a post on X on September 4 noted that Ambassador Alberda served as the Dutch Consul General in the Kurdistan Region between 2016 and 2018.

Prime Minister Barzani thanked the Netherlands for supporting the KRG in its reform process and the diversification of its economy, especially in terms of promoting the agricultural sector and maintaining food security through initiatives like the entrepreneurial training program Orange Corners.

Read More: Outgoing Dutch Consul General Highlights Kurdish Hospitality

“It is essential to get people away from government employment and into the private sector,” the outgoing Dutch Consul General in Erbil Jaco Beerends underscored in a previous interview.

The Ninth Cabinet of the KRG is currently working on creating a cashless society through banking reforms, digital transformation, and reducing dependence on oil revenue.

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Moreover, Prime Minister Barzani and Ambassador Alberda discussed the upcoming parliamentary elections in the Kurdistan Region, which will be held on October 20, and emphasized the importance of the elections being conducted in a peaceful and fair environment, free from violations and fraud.

Additionally, both parties agreed on the need for international monitors to observe the election process.