Kurdistan Region President to meet Macron in Paris on Monday

ERBIL, Kurdistan Region - Kurdistan Region President Nechirvan Barzani will meet French President Emmanuel Macron in Paris on Monday marking his fifth official visit to France.

“The President of the Republic will meet with Mr. Nechirvan Barzani, President of the Autonomous Region of Iraqi Kurdistan, this Monday, April 14, 2025, at the Élysée Palace,” a statement from the palace said on Saturday.

Barzani was most recently in Paris last December to participate in the reopening of Notre Dame Cathedral.

“The President of the Republic and President Barzani will discuss the dialogue between Erbil and Baghdad, regional stability, and cooperation in the fight against terrorism. The two leaders will also discuss the situation in the Middle East and reaffirm their commitment to regional de-escalation,” the statement added. 

Paris and Erbil enjoy close relations, dating back to French support for the no-fly zone that allowed the Kurdistan Region to develop its current autonomy.

France was one of the first countries to open a consulate in Erbil after the fall of Saddam Hussein’s regime in 2003 and played a critical role in helping Kurds both in Iraq and in Syria in the war against the Islamic State (ISIS).