November 1, 2011New UN Assistant Secretary-General discusses UN role in Kurdistan and Iraq
Erbil, Kurdistan-Iraq - The new United Nations Assistant Secretary-General for Safety and Security, Ms Mbaranga Gasarabwe, on Sunday visited the Kurdistan Region to assess the situation on the ground and consider future UN activities in the Region.
The Head of the Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG) Department of Foreign Relations, Minister Falah Mustafa Bakir, received Assistant Secretary-General Gasarabwe and her delegation at the DFR offices in Erbil.
Minister Bakir highlighted the outstanding security that the Region enjoys and invited the UN to benefit from this stability in order to carry out their broader mission in Iraq. “We believe that this is the perfect environment to base your operations for serving not only the people of Kurdistan, but the people of all Iraq as well,” he said.
Continues ...
Both sides exchanged views on the present situation in Iraq and discussed a number of areas where UN assistance would be welcome. They talked about the role that the UN can play in supporting the political process and in Iraq’s national reconciliation by hosting conferences and workshops in Erbil in order to bring Iraqis from across the country closer together.
Ms Gasarabwe discussed her hopes that Iraqis of all ethnicities and religions will work closely together to resolve their differences through dialogue rather than the use of violence. She commended the remarkable progress already evident in the Kurdistan Region, saying that she was happy to have the opportunity to visit the Region and pleased to be able to see the situation firsthand.
Minister Bakir explained that the Kurdistan Region’s economic growth has been made possible thanks to the dedication and hard work of both the security agencies and the citizens living in the region as well. He said, “I hope the rest of Iraq will soon be able to achieve the same level of stability and security that is currently seen in the Kurdistan Region, as a stable Iraq will benefit every Iraqi citizen.”
The Kurdistan Region has attracted a great deal of foreign direct investment and interest by international companies due to its opportunities and vast economic potential, and to the economic policies implemented by the KRG. Kurdistan continues to serve as the perfect gateway to business and investment with the rest of Iraq.
UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon appointed Ms Gasarabwe to the newly established position of Assistant Secretary-General for Safety and Security in April of this year in order to improve the UN’s ability to address security issues and ensure regular security analysis.
Ms Gasarabwe was accompanied by Mr Sokol Kondi, the Head of the United Nations Assistance Mission to Iraq’s Regional Office in Erbil, and their meeting with Minister Bakir was also attended by Dr Dindar Zebari, Assistant Head of DFR for International Organisations.
link
