Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG) Prime Minister Masrour Barzani on Monday inaugurated the Kurdistan House in Davos, Switzerland, hoping that the platform would become a hub for business owners to find investment opportunities in Kurdistan. 

Speaking at the opening ceremony, he expressed hope that the Kurdistan House will serve as a bridge between Kurdish entrepreneurs and international companies.

“We are very proud to participate in the World Economic Forum in Davos under the name of the Kurdistan House. We have been attending this forum for many years, and this marks the second year that we have established the Kurdistan House here,” Prime Minister Barzani said.

Read More: Kurdistan PM Barzani Joins Global Leaders at WEF 2025

On January 20, Prime Minister Barzani arrived in Davos, Switzerland, to attend the 2025 WEF annual meeting – which is being held from January 20-24 – where he will hold meetings with world leaders from various countries.

Prime Minister Barzani extended his gratitude to all those who contributed to the establishment of the Kurdistan House in Davos, particularly Khalid Khoshnaw, the founder and owner of Hemin Group, who played a key role in the Kurdistan House’s foundation.Prime Minister Barzani paid his respects to Kurdish businessman Peshraw Dizayee, who, along with his one-year-old daughter Zhina, was killed by Iranian ballistic missiles in Erbil in January last year. 

“He (Peshraw Dizayee) had hoped to join us last year but was unable to and was later tragically martyred.” 

Prime Minister Barzani thanked Roj Peshraw Agha Dizayee, Dizayee’s son and the CEO of Falcon Group, for participating this year.

Kurdistan House at #WEF25 represents the potential of KRI — innovation, investment, and strategic growth. pic.twitter.com/9oLb2TpPkm

— Masrour Barzani (@masrourbarzani) January 20, 2025

Prime Minister Barzani also commented on today’s inauguration of President Donald Trump as the 47th President of the United States. “It is an important historical day in the United States, too. I congratulate President Trump for his return to the White House. We hope we can develop our strategic relations and work as an ally to protect and foster peace and stability and the United States can work to protect and develop Kurdistan.”

Prime Minister Barzani also touched on the developments in Syria after the fall of the Assad regime, and underlined the importance of unity for Kurds in Syria.

“There are serious efforts for unity in Syria. At the invitation of President Masoud Barzani, [Syrian Democratic Forces Commander-in-Chief] Mazloum Abdi was invited to the Kurdistan Region and President Barzani talked to the stakeholders in Syria to stay united and work to protect the rights of the Kurds.

Furthermore, a KRG delegation is currently in Baghdad to address financial disputes and the delay in salaries for Kurdish government employees in the Kurdistan Region. Discussing the topic, the Kurdish premier said: “We insist that the rights of the people of Kurdistan Region are secured. We expect the negotiations to translate into actions. We hope 2025 is a better year.”

Iraq’s President Abdul Latif Rashid also participated in the opening of the Kurdistan House. 

“I congratulate you for the opening of the Kurdistan House today,” he said. “I am delighted to be with you today, and support the development of these initiatives in any capacity we can,” the Iraqi president said. 

“It is important to continue to play a role in helping Kurdish businessmen and attracting foreign investment. Also, I encourage Kurdish businessmen to expand their works to the other parts of Iraq as there are huge opportunities outside the Kurdistan Region.”

Following the official opening ceremony, Prime Minister Barzani held a private meeting with 11 investors from Kurdistan, including the heads of Hemin Group, Kar Group, Qaiwan Group, Empire World, South Kurdistan Group, Hewa Holding, Dutch Flower Company, Galiawa Group, Darin Group, Kolak Group, and MJ Holding.

During his speech, Prime Minister Barzani concluded that the KRG Ninth Cabinet’s strategy was to involve the private sector in the development of the country. 

“I hope WEF provides a chance for Kurdish businessmen to partner with international counterparts and seize the investment opportunities in the Kurdistan Region,” he stated.