In an interview with Kurdistan Chronicle, Isa Kahraman, a Syriac-born Dutch politician of New Social Contract (NSC) who is a member of several parliament committees, including Defense and Foreign Affairs, underlined that it is important for the Netherlands to maintain relations with the Kurdistan Region and Iraq.

“I think it’s really important because there are a lot of Kurdish people living in the Netherlands, but also a lot of Dutch Kurdish people living in the Kurdistan Region,” he said. “So, it’s important that we keep and strengthen those relationships.

“We have a Consulate General in Erbil, so we think it’s a really important area, but we also have our ambassador in Baghdad and it’s important that Iraq becomes a stable and prosperous country.”

Read More: Dutch Envoy Urges Companies to Invest in Kurdistan

Trade opportunities

In a video published on February 26, the Dutch Consul General in Erbil Adriaan IJsselstein called on Dutch companies to come to the Kurdistan Region.

“I know Consul General IJsselstein. He was here in the Netherlands for the ambassador’s conference and we also spoke about his role in Erbil. I follow him on X and you see that he’s also calling for entrepreneurs from the Netherlands,” Kahraman said.

“There are a lot of opportunities in Kurdistan. The Dutch are good at building enterprises and trade in foreign countries. I think that’s partly IJsselstein’s job, to see what opportunities there are for Dutch enterprises, but also how we can contribute to strengthening the Kurdistan Region.”

De heer Hoshyar Siwaily van de Koerdische Democratische Partij (KDP) in Irak gesproken over de situatie in Irak. Hij sprak zijn waardering uit voor de inzet van Nederland in de Koerdische Autonome Regio en benadrukte het belang van voortzetting van deze missie. pic.twitter.com/MhRdJReccV

— Isa Kahraman (@isakahraman) February 19, 2025

Dutch military support

In December the Dutch Defense Committee visited Baghdad and the Ain al-Assad air base. “It’s really important that we helped Iraq rebuild their country, bringing stabilization but also strengthening their defense forces,” Kahraman added.

In February, Kahraman also met the Head of the Kurdistan Democratic Party Foreign Relations Office Hoshyar Siwaily. “Siwaily was also pleased with what the Dutch military forces were doing in the Kurdistan area,” he said.

In 2023, the Dutch military deployed 145 soldiers to Baghdad for the NATO mission and took over its command in May of that year. Kahraman said the Dutch contribution to the NATO mission will end this year. 

The 120 Dutch troops previously stationed in Erbil left in May 2023, leaving only five advisors in the Kurdistan Region. “I think they contributed a lot in the past in rebuilding Iraq as well as the Kurdistan Region,” he added.

I remain deeply concerned by the recent escalation of violence in #Syria. The rights of all communities must be respected. The Netherlands has called for EU Ambassadors to discuss the developments on Tuesday and to prepare a proper EU response. pic.twitter.com/0j94kxuQbk

— Caspar Veldkamp (@ministerBZ) March 9, 2025

Rights of minorities

Kahraman’s party is also worried about the situation of religious minorities in Syria, especially after the killing of Alawites and a small number of Christians on Syria’s coast. “It’s really important for my party that we keep an eye on the rights of minorities. I also came from a Christian minority that fled Turkey.”

“Dutch Minister of Foreign Affairs Caspar Veldkamp always mentions that the future of Syria needs to involve its minorities, that they are part of the new Syria and that their rights are also in the new constitution.”

On March 13, Kahraman and MP Don Ceder of Christian Union jointly submitted a motion after approximately a thousand people, mostly Alawites, were killed this month in escalating violence in Syria’s coastal regions.

The motion, which was adopted by the Dutch parliament, requested the Dutch government propose concrete measures within the EU framework to “protect minorities in Syria, including halting foreign support for and disarming militias.”

Kahraman also underlined that Aramean Christians are the indigenous people of the Middle East, where their ancestors have lived for thousands of years.

"For me, it’s really important to remember that Christianity was founded in the Middle East – it is truly the heart of Christianity. This region is where Christianity first emerged as a religion, and it holds deep cultural and historical significance. We don’t want their history wiped out of Syria and the Middle East,” he said.

“That’s also the reason why we keep on pushing for the rights of minorities in Syria, Lebanon, and Iraq, because we want Christians to live in peace with their Muslim brothers and sisters. I think it is best for both communities if they can coexist with each other,” he concluded.