Welcome
Statement by Minister of State Tobias Lindner prior to his departure for Iraq
The new Iraqi Government has set itself ambitious goals for the stabilisation of the country and for the wellbeing of its people. Following the multiple crises of recent years, Iraq has made considerable progress and now has the opportunity to open a new chapter and make its economy and society fit for the future. The German Government welcomes this ambitious reform agenda.
During my three-day visit to Iraq, one central topic will therefore be future German support for the stabilisation of the country. And my talks with the government in Baghdad and the Kurdish Regional Government in Erbil will also cover the security situation and the regional political situation. In this connection, I will meet with representatives of the military missions Operation Inherent Resolve and NATO Mission Iraq. In addition, I will learn about the current situation of the Yazidi community in the north of Iraq.
Background information:
Minister of State Lindner is travelling to Iraq from 24 to 26 January. He will hold political talks with the central Iraqi Government and the Kurdistan Regional Government and will meet with representatives of the UN organisations based there. He will also talk to civil-society representatives about the latest developments in the country and visit a camp for internally displaced persons in the Region of Kurdistan-Iraq that is run with German support.
Since 2014, the German Government has supported Iraq with instruments for stabilisation, humanitarian assistance and development cooperation worth around 3.4 billion euro. This has helped to restabilise the country following the rule of terror of the so-called Islamic State and to enable internally displaced persons to return to their communities. The Bundeswehr has an ongoing local presence as part of the Global Coalition against Daesh and NATO Mission Iraq and thus also provides important support for the country’s continued security and stability.
Iraq’s economy is currently highly dependent on fossil energies, and in the medium term the country faces the challenge of bringing its young population into employment and strengthening the private sector. Meanwhile, the United Nations states that Iraq is already among the countries most heavily affected by the climate crisis worldwide. Discussions of climate action in Iraq always also address the role that renewable energies could play.