The outgoing Ambassador of Italy to Iraq Maurizio Greganti told Kurdistan Chronicle that it was easy to promote Italy in the Kurdistan Region and Iraq during his mission due to the great “love for the Italian way of life, culture, design, fashion, and food.”

“I was here almost three years and it’s been a period of great changes in Iraq and in Kurdistan as well. It was not an easy time, but I would say it was very interesting for me and I am leaving with many unforgettable memories. I visited Kurdistan many times during these three years. The natural beauty is stunning. While we have the Alps in Italy, this landscape is different but equally beautiful.”

During his visits, he met with the Kurdish leadership in Erbil and Sulaymaniyah and traveled all over the Kurdistan Region. “I saw many places to try to understand the people and culture of the region. To be honest with you, I felt at home. A lot of the values here are similar to Italian culture and traditions.”

However, he says Italy can always do more, especially in bringing Italian companies to the region. “Our Consul General Michele Camerota is doing a great job in this regard. The Consulate General and their team are very active.”

“They recently established Italian language courses in collaboration with the Dante Alighieri Society at the Catholic University in Erbil,” Greganti said. “They also promoted many other activities, including events on cuisine, design, culture, and even an opera concert.”

Archeological richness

There are at least 11 Italian archeological expeditions in the Kurdistan Region, cooperating with local Directorates of Heritage and Antiquities. In 2022, the first archeological park in Iraq was opened in Faida in the Duhok Governorate, followed by the opening of a park in Khinnis in 2023.

“It was wonderful to see Italian archeologists working throughout the region and Iraq. I’ve visited many archeological sites and while I knew Kurdistan was rich in history, I hadn’t realized just how rich,” Greganti explained.

“It was a big surprise for me to see how many archeological sites they have here,” he said.

“The Assyrian relief in the ecological park in Faida and Khinnis is truly wonderful. It was discovered by an Italian team from Udine University in 2021 led by Professor Daniele Morandi Bonacossi,” Greganti added.

“Another site I really liked was the Neolithic sites, which are more ancient and remarkable. There’s an unbelievable number of tells in the Erbil Plains, most of which were created by prehistoric human settlements. I had the opportunity to visit Tell Helawa with Professor Peyronel Luca from Milan and Asingeran with Professor Marco Iamoni from Udine, and I found the sites incredibly interesting,” Greganti related.

The Italian Ambassador also visited Italian-supported non-governmental organizations (NGOs) in the Kurdistan Region.

“It was inspiring to see the work being done by Italian NGOs, such as the hospital in Akre and the important Rehabilitation and Social Reintegration Center in Sulaymaniyah for people who have lost their limbs. There’s significant work being done to combat thalassemia and other common diseases in the region, which we also have experience of in Italy,” Greganti explained. “Our doctors are helping, and it makes me proud of what we’re doing. Of course, there’s always more we can do, but it was very encouraging to see the progress being made.”

Greganti also visited the Shanidar Cave in Barzan, which was recently featured in the Netflix documentary Secrets of the Neanderthals. The cave contains the remains of 10 Neanderthals that were discovered by a team of archeologists from Columbia University.

“This remarkable site is the easternmost site where Neanderthals have been discovered, as they are usually studied in Europe,” he remarked.

Kurdish elections

In June, Kurdistan Region President Nechirvan Barzani announced that the regional parliamentary elections would take place on October 20, 2024, after two years of delays. The announcement of the election date was widely welcomed by members of the international community.

“The upcoming elections are very important. We are pleased that a date has finally been set and that there is widespread agreement and eagerness to move forward,” Ambassador Greganti said.

“This is crucial, and we will support the Kurdish government to guarantee free, fair, and transparent elections, doing our best to support their success. This is vital for the legitimacy of Kurdish institutions, including the parliament and the government. We believe this is very important for the future of Kurdistan.”

Role of Italian army

Currently, Italian soldiers are based at Camp Singara in Erbil and are training Kurdish peshmerga forces, according to a report by the Italian news association Nova Agency. 

“We are proud of the work we’ve done, promoting training programs over the years. We’ve been here since 2003 and never left, even in the most challenging moments,” Italian Ambassador Greganti said. 

“I’m very pleased with the cooperation we’ve established. We will continue our efforts because we believe this country is strategically important. It is a pillar of stability and is crucial for the Middle East, which remains a priority for us.”

Last year, Italy joined the Multinational Advisory Group (MNAG), which includes the UK, United States, Netherlands, and Germany, and supports the peshmerga reform program.

“We are focused on the Italian army’s role under the umbrella of the anti-ISIS coalition, as well as in the NATO mission in Iraq and through other bilateral efforts. Their primary tasks involve training and supporting Iraqi forces and the peshmerga, particularly in security sector reform,” Greganti said. 

“For example, in Kurdistan, they are part of the MNAG, which assists the Ministry of Peshmerga Affairs in reform efforts. This includes training, security sector reform with the Ministry of Defense and Interior in Baghdad, and other key initiatives.”

Baghdad has also held talks with the United States aimed at ending the mission of the U.S.-led anti-ISIS coalition. This could also affect the troop presence of other Western countries like Italy in Iraq. 

“So far, it’s unclear when and how the transition will take place, but we know that at some point, there will be a shift from the coalition to a presence based on bilateral agreements with the partners of the Kurdistan Region. In any case, Italy will continue to be present in the region, as requested by both the Iraqi and Kurdish governments. We are committed to this, and in the future, we plan to operate in a more structured way once a bilateral agreement is signed,” Greganti underscored.