On Sunday, the Dutch Consulate General in Erbil hosted the Dutch King’s Day celebration, attended for the first time by Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG) Prime Minister Masrour Barzani, along with other senior officials.
“I congratulated Consul General Adriaan IJsselstein and the Consulate staff and wished them success,” Prime Minister Barzani posted on Facebook.
Looking back at a very successful King's Day celebration.
— Netherlands in Kurdistan Region (@nlinkri) April 28, 2025
Together with HE @masrourbarzani and many other guests we celebrated both the birthday of his majesty King Willem-Alexander, and the strong cooperation between NL and the KRI.
Thanks to all for making this a success! pic.twitter.com/8qPpSg8Nq8
Dutch Consul General Adriaan IJsselstein told Kurdistan Chronicle that he really appreciated the attendance of Prime Minister Barzani. “It is a sign of the strong relationship and cooperation between the Kurdistan Region of Iraq and the Netherlands.”
In his speech at the event, Consul General IJsselstein underlined that King’s Day in Erbil is one moment where the friendship between the Kurdistan Region of Iraq and the Dutch people “truly becomes visible.
“And this relation is strong. Looking back at the previous year, I note the meetings between the Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte and Prime Minister Barzani, as well as Kurdistan Region President Nechirvan Barzani, and the visit of our Minister of Defense a few months ago. It shows our strong political bond,” IJsselstein said.
Read More: Dutch Defense Minister Sees Continued Need for Military in Iraq
“And let me also mention our military support, which goes back to the first deployment of Dutch troops here in the 1990s. We remain committed, and the presence here tonight of our officers of the Netherlands Defense forces is a testimony to that. We remain your partner in working on peshmerga reform and we will continue to support the stability of Iraq and the Kurdistan Region.”
After the creation of a safe haven based on UN Security Council Resolution 688 following the Kurdish 1991 uprising, Dutch soldiers also participated in the international task force based in Zakho.
Last year, the Dutch military withdrew 145 soldiers from the Kurdistan Region, later deploying them to Baghdad for the NATO mission, which will conclude this year. In the time since, an additional 120 Dutch troops stationed in Erbil have left, with five advisors remaining in the region.
“But relations in the end are built and maintained by people, and in that respect the strong people-to-people contacts between the Netherlands and the Kurdistan Region are truly remarkable. This is because of you: the many friends, also present here, who are both Dutch and Kurdish,” IJsselstein concluded.
IJsselstein, who assumed the role of Consul General four months ago, added that he has been fortunate enough to meet many politicians, farmers, and entrepreneurs in the region. “I have experienced unmatched Kurdish hospitality, the great food, and the beautiful mountains. Indeed, the Kurdistan Region is blessed, and I am privileged to work here as the Dutch Consul General.”
In his remarks at the event, Head of the KRG Department of Foreign Relations Safeen Dizayee referred to the five decade-long relationship between the Kurdistan Region and the Netherlands, which began with the Dutch army’s participation in the safe haven efforts of the 1990s.
“The Dutch army were in Kurdistan to set up the safe haven and to help people to return to their homes,” he said. “And prior to that, in the mid-1970s, 50 years ago, they opened their doors to the people of Kurdistan as refugees, and welcomed them … some of these Kurds have risen into prominent positions, both in the public and private sector in Kurdistan and the Netherlands.”
With the participation of PM @masrourbarzani, we celebrated King’s Day in Erbil, held by @nlinkri.
— Safeen Dizayee (@SafeenDizayee) April 27, 2025
In my remarks, I wished the people of the Netherlands continued peace and prosperity, good health for the King, and emphasized our strong ties and partnership in past and present. pic.twitter.com/fpae54UYlS
“We thank you for your support, and for opening your arms to them.”
“In 2014, the Netherlands was part of the international coalition to support the peshmerga in fighting ISIS,” Dizayee continued. “We thank you for that, particularly the men and women in uniform. We salute them.”
Furthermore, Dizayee stated that the Dutch-KRG relationship has matured in the political, diplomatic, and security fields.
“We want to expand it further into an economic relationship. The Netherlands has been instrumental in helping our farmers to increase yields and production in certain areas, and we would like to expand further the opportunities out there. The government is wholly supportive of any initiative, and we hope that an economic forum can be established or formed, as we have discussed with the Consul General, like with our other European partners.”
Prime Minister @masrourbarzani this evening attended @nlinkri’s King’s Day celebration. Kurdistan Region’s relationship with the Netherlands spans various fields, from security to agriculture. We look forward to doing more together pic.twitter.com/8adjzV5t2h
— Bayan Sami Abdul Rahman (@BayanRahman) April 27, 2025
Bayan Sami Abdulrahman, Senior Advisor to Prime Minister Barzani, posted on X that the “Kurdistan Region’s relationship with the Netherlands spans various fields, from security to agriculture. We look forward to doing more together.”
