The Consul General of the Kingdom of the Netherlands to Erbil Jaco Beerends told Kurdistan Chronicle in an interview on March 4 that Erbil is relatively safe compared to Amsterdam when it comes to petty crime.
He stated that private sector development is an important part of the diversification strategy of the Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG), and that the Netherlands advocates “for Dutch companies to come and conduct their business in the Kurdistan Region.”
“In that light, we are again present at Agro Pack, which is the biggest agricultural fair in the Kurdistan Region.”
The Consulate General was honored to receive our visitors to the #NL booth at the #AgroPack #Erbil. During the three days of the #fair, we furthered interaction with the #Kurdistan private sector aimed at the KRI’s economic development. pic.twitter.com/Y9xz1OFFRt
— Netherlands in Kurdistan Region (@nlinkri) November 24, 2022
Agro Pack Iraq 2024 is scheduled to take place from November 25-28 in Erbil, featuring the participation of international companies, including those from the Netherlands.
Additionally, Consul General Beerends underlined that Erbil is relatively safe for Dutch entrepreneurs to visit.
“If you look, for instance, at petty crime, the chances that you become a victim of mugging or theft in Amsterdam are much higher than if you are in Erbil as a Westerner,” he said.
“There are other circumstances that make it seem much less safe, such as the drone attacks that we have had and the rocket attack on Erbil that happened here in January,” he added.
— Hanke Bruins Slot (@HankeBruinsSlot) January 19, 2024
On January 15, an Iranian ballistic missile attack killed four civilians in Erbil, including prominent businessman Peshraw Dizayee and his infant daughter, Zhina Dizayee, who also had Dutch nationality. The attack was strongly condemned by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Netherlands.
Furthermore, Iran and Iranian-backed groups have stepped up attacks on U.S. troops in Iraq and Syria since October amid the war in Gaza.
“A Dutch entrepreneur will not be a target for such attacks, so you have to look at other factors,” Beerends added.
Moreover, since February 4, attacks by Iran-backed groups on U.S. bases in Iraq and Syria have stopped.
Today, I paid a courtesy call to H.E. Prime Minister @masrourbarzani . We had a fruitful discussion on ways to strengthen our bilateral relations.
— Netherlands in Kurdistan Region (@nlinkri) October 12, 2022
The PM expressed his gratitude for the #Dutch contributions in the #KRI, especially in the #Agri sector and in #Peshmerga reform-JB. pic.twitter.com/3r7m1gZsmV
The Consulate General of the Kingdom of the Netherlands in Erbil focuses on three main pillars: policy advice, project support, and private sector development.
“We try to work with the KRG to help improve their agricultural policies,” Beerends said.
“We also provide support for agriculture projects, which includes demonstration farms where we try to showcase the techniques and the expertise that we have in the Netherlands,” he added.
The Netherlands recently supported an international horticulture project in the Kurdistan Region involving water conservation. “You use less water, protect your plants from extreme weather, and get a bigger yield in the end,” he said.
“Lastly, we work with the private sector, both here and in the Netherlands, to build connections and make sure that companies find their way to the Kurdistan Region.”
Moreover, the Royal Netherlands Army, as a member of the U.S.-led coalition against ISIS, has trained Iraqi and Kurdish peshmerga soldiers.
The Netherlands, alongside the U.S., UK, and Germany, is supporting the peshmerga reform program aimed at unifying and modernizing the Kurdish peshmerga forces, which have been divided along political party lines: the Patriotic Union of Kurdistan with 70 units and the Kurdistan Democratic Party with 80 units. In addition, there are unified units under the Ministry of Peshmerga Affairs, also known as Regional Guard Brigades.
The KRG’s Ninth Cabinet continues to support the restructuring of the peshmerga, working to create a unified national force. So far at least 28 Peshmerga brigades have been consolidated under the Ministry of Peshmerga Affairs as part of the reform program.
