During the World Governments Summit in Dubai, Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG) Prime Minister Masrour Barzani continued to strengthen relations between the Kurdistan Region and several countries, especially the UAE, in various sectors.

For instance, on Tuesday, KRG Prime Minister Barzani held a meeting with UAE President Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed al-Nahyan, where the two leaders stressed the need to further strengthen relations between the Kurdistan Region and the UAE across various sectors. 

They also discussed the situation in Syria following the deal signed between the Kurds and Damascus.

On Wednesday, Prime Minister Barzani met with Khaled el-Enany, Director-General of the UN Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) to discuss the renovation of Erbil Citadel as a World Heritage Site.

“I requested that the Kurdistan Region be admitted as an associate member of UNESCO, and he expressed his support for this effort,” Prime Minister Barzani said.

That same day, Prime Minister Barzani met with Ahmed Aboul Gheit, Secretary-General of the Arab League, on the sidelines of the World Governments Summit.

They exchanged views on the situation in Iraq and efforts to elect the new president and form the federal cabinet.

Prime Minister Barzani also met with UAE Minister of Industry and Advanced Technology Sultan al-Jaber.

They stressed the importance of further developing relations between the Kurdistan Region and the UAE, particularly in the fields of energy, natural resources, and technology.

He also met with UAE Minister of Energy and Infrastructure Suhail Mohamed al-Mazrouei, where they agreed on the importance of strengthening bilateral relations in terms of infrastructure and energy, particularly the electricity sector. 

Prime Minister Barzani highlighted Project Runaki, the KRG’s 24-hour electricity initiative. Minister al-Mazrouei expressed his country’s readiness to provide full cooperation.

Then, on Thursday, Prime Minister Barzani met with UAE Minister of Cabinet Affairs Mohammad bin Abdullah al-Gergawi.

“I congratulated Mohammad Al Gergawi on the success of the @WorldGovSummit and expressed appreciation for the UAE’s continued support and cooperation, and praised its advanced model of economic development and governance,” Prime Minister Barzani said in a post on X.

“We also reviewed a new platform that is expected to become operational soon in the Kurdistan Region, built in partnership with the UAE. The platform allows citizens to view, interpret, and understand the laws and regulations of the Kurdistan Region in a user-friendly manner.”