The prime minister of Iraq’s autonomous Kurdistan Region, Masrour Barzani, visited Egypt on Sunday in a significant trip with potential regional implications. He met with Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi in Cairo to discuss “strengthening bilateral ties and boosting trade,” according to a report by the Kurdish media outlet Rudaw.
Kurdish channel Kurdistan24 also noted that the two leaders discussed the importance of regional stability.
The Kurdistan Region in Iraq is a prosperous and stable part of the country. Iraq recently had parliamentary elections and is seeking to choose a new prime minister. Meanwhile, the Kurdistan Region has done a lot of outreach recently. It has amicable ties with Turkey and the Gulf states.
Erbil, the capital, now hosts a large US consulate. The region is also working towards achieving peace and stability in Syria, and as such, the Kurdistan Region now plays an important regional role.
Egypt's regional importance
Egypt, which has a peace deal with Israel, is also playing an important role in the region, trying hard to fulfill US President Donald Trump’s peace proposal for Gaza. Sisi is also very concerned about developments in Sudan, Libya, and Ethiopia.
Recent reports suggest Sisi has set a red line in Sudan in support of the military there as it battles the RSF in a civil war. The Trump administration wants a ceasefire in Sudan. Cairo is watching closely.
Rudaw reported on Sunday that Sisi welcomed Barzani, “expressing his pleasure at the visit and reaffirming Egypt’s commitment to expanding bilateral relations with the Kurdistan Region across multiple sectors.
The Kurdish prime minister also met with Egyptian Culture Minister Ahmed Fouad Hanno before holding high-level meetings with top Egyptian officials. “The meeting stressed the importance of strengthening relations between the Kurdistan Region and Egypt in various fields, especially investment and trade exchanges,” the KRG prime minister’s office said.
Rudaw added that “during his visit, Barzani met with other senior officials to discuss developments in Iraq, the Kurdistan Region, and the broader region. Hassan Rashad, head of Egypt’s General Intelligence Services, and Kurdistan Regional Government Interior Minister Reber Ahmed also attended the meetings, according to the Egyptian presidency.”