On Tuesday, the UK Consulate General in Erbil announced that the UK Home Office International Operations (HOIO) had provided training to 74 border and airport officers in the Kurdistan Region in late September.

“On 21, 22 and 23 September 2026, HOIO delivered training to 50 officers and staff from the passport control teams at Erbil International Airport and the Ibrahim Khalil Land Border Crossing,” the UK Consulate General said.

Furthermore, it said it also trained 24 dnata and airline staff based at Erbil International Airport.

“This training is one of many examples of joint working between HOIO and the authorities in the Kurdistan Region of Iraq (KRI), strengthening cooperation and helping to protect the borders of both the UK and the KRI,” the UK Consulate General said.

Over the last few years, the UK and the Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG) have increased cooperation on border security and illegal immigration.

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In November 2024, the KRG signed an agreement with the UK and Iraqi federal government to enhance border security and combat human trafficking, a deal aimed at addressing illegal migration to the UK.

In June, the UK Consulate General in Erbil announced that a judicial delegation from the Kurdistan Region had visited the UK for exchanges with government institutions.