A high-level international delegation was welcomed by the Governor of Erbil, who highly appreciated their efforts, coordination, and work with the "Barzani Charity Foundation
Today, Wednesday, October 1, 2025, Erbil Governor Omed Khoshnaw, accompanied by Musa Ahmad, President of the Barzani Charity Foundation (BCF), welcomed a high-level international delegation at the Governorate's office. The delegation consisted of: Serdar Yüksel, Member of the German Federal Parliament; Klaus Engel, former Chairman of the Executive Board of the Evonik energy company; Hendrik Groth, Head of the Schwäbische Medien media foundation and Head of the 'Helfen bringt Freude' (Helping Brings Joy) organization; Sherzad Thomas, General Manager of the Caritas – Essen Foundation in Iraq; and Deniz Kartal, photographer and journalist.
During the meeting, the visiting delegation outlined the purpose of their visit to Erbil, the capital of the Kurdistan Region, and presented a summary of their work and activities. They highlighted the projects they have implemented in Erbil, expressing their admiration for the significant progress, stability, and security prevailing in the city.
They extended their appreciation and gratitude to the Governor of Erbil for the Governorate's assistance and facilitation in serving displaced people and refugees, as well as for promoting greater coordination with civil society organizations and joint humanitarian work.
For his part, the Governor of Erbil welcomed the delegation and wished them an enjoyable time during their stay in the capital. He then shed light on the general situation of the displaced persons and refugees, emphasizing the provision of aid, assistance, and services, as well as meeting their needs and resolving their issues.
He highly valued the efforts, coordination, and work of the visiting delegation with the Barzani Charity Foundation (BCF), which he noted has become an important bridge connecting global, humanitarian, and charitable figures with those in need, particularly in serving the displaced, refugees, and humanitarian work.
He also said: "The capital, Erbil, has become a safe haven for displaced persons and refugees, with more than (340,000) refugees and internally displaced persons currently residing within Erbil Governorate. Undoubtedly, the current crisis and the injustice Baghdad is committing against the Kurdistan Region by withholding the budget and financial entitlements have made our duty to serve them more difficult. Therefore, it is essential that countries, agencies, and international organizations provide assistance to improve the quality of life for these refugees and displaced people.
In another axis of the meeting, the Governor of Erbil addressed the issue of climate change and its consequences. He disclosed that despite all the obstacles and hurdles, the Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG) has implemented several strategic and important projects within Erbil Governorate to mitigate these effects. These projects include: the Erbil Emergency Water Supply Project, of which the first phase is complete; the Qushtapa Water Project; and current efforts to commence the Khabat District Water Project. Additionally, the creation of a green belt and the illumination project by providing 24-hour electricity have collectively had a significant impact on preventing the consequences of climate change and keeping our city's environment clean.
He also stated that if it were not for the persistent injustice from Baghdad against the Kurdistan Region—namely the withholding of the budget, financial entitlements, and employees' salaries—the Kurdistan Region in general, and the capital Erbil in particular, would undoubtedly be more developed and advanced than they are today.
In conclusion, the visiting delegation highly appreciated the Governor of Erbil's warm welcome. They emphasized their continued coordination and cooperation with the Erbil Governorate and the Barzani Charity Foundation (BCF) to serve the displaced persons and refugees in the camps within the governorate's borders and to further develop joint humanitarian work.
