In a press conference on Thursday, Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG) Prime Minister Masrour Barzani underlined that his meetings at the World Economic Forum (WEF) in Davos, Switzerland, focused on bringing an end to the conflict in Western Kurdistan (northern Syria) between Damascus and Kurdish forces that started earlier this month.

On Thursday, Prime Minister Barzani continued his meetings with senior officials from several countries at the WEF 2026, which will last until Friday.

During the press conference he underlined that, due to the “unfortunate events that erupted in [northern Syria], we focused on securing international support to bring an end to the war and clashes, and to stop the unjust attacks being carried out against the Kurdish people in [the region]. 

“We made very serious efforts and discussed this issue in detail with world leaders. We spoke seriously about it. I hope it will bear results and, God willing, lead toward ending the war and achieving stability and peace.

“No one supports war,” he continued. “Everyone we spoke with emphasized that the war must end. There is a clear path to this. What is especially important now is declaring a ceasefire so that the psychological pressure on the people of Kurdistan is lifted. If there are more opportunities for dialogue and discussion, we hope they will yield positive results.”

Among others, KRG Prime Minister Barzani met with Jean-Noel Barrot, France’s Minister for Europe and Foreign Affairs, to discuss developments in Iraq and the efforts of political parties to form the new Iraqi federal cabinet.

They also expressed deep concern over the clashes in Syria, which pose a serious threat to regional peace and stability and risk enabling a resurgence of ISIS. They agreed on the importance of addressing issues through dialogue and negotiations and guaranteeing the rights of the Kurdish people and all components in Syria.

Moreover, Prime Minister Barzani met with Jordan’s Crown Prince al-Hussein bin Abdullah II in Davos. 

“We explored expanding our historic and friendly bilateral relations. We also discussed efforts to form Iraq’s federal government and the need to sustain a ceasefire in Syria through dialogue,” he posted on X.

Prime Minister Masrour Barzani also met with Khalifa Abdullah al-Ajeel, Kuwait’s Minister of Commerce and Industry.

They stressed the importance of further developing bilateral relations, particularly in investment and trade.