Kurdistan
Ahmed al-Dhaheri, the United Arab Emirates Consul in Erbil, speaking to Rudaw ri on February 13, 2025. Photo: Rudaw
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ERBIL, Kurdistan Region - The United Arab Emirates (UAE) consul in Erbil welcomed a technology agreement signed this weekend between Erbil and Abu Dhabi and said he hopes this will be followed by stronger cooperation in many other fields.
Kurdistan Region’s “active participation” in the World Governments Summit in Dubai “was solidified” with the signing of a technology deal, UAE Consul Ahmed al-Dhaheri told Rudaw on Thursday, expressing optimism that the agreement will be followed by “many more economic and investment agreements in the near future,” particularly in the “electricity sector and the use of solar energy.”
Prime Minister Masrour Barzani attended the summit this week and on Wednesday he signed a five-year technology deal with Emirati Minister of Cabinet Affairs Mohammad bin Abdullah al-Gergawi. The agreement focuses on enhancing “administrative, human, and governmental capabilities in the Region,” Barzani said after signing it.
The technology deal is complementary to a previous agreement signed three years ago between the two sides, Dhaheri said, and it focuses on government modernization and enhancing “knowledge exchange, particularly in the field of Artificial Intelligence [AI].”
He expressed hope that “the results of this cooperation will be evident in the next five years, particularly as both parties are keen on establishing future companies.”
The Emirati consul noted that the UAE is keen on exchanging knowledge on AI with the Kurdistan Region, which aims “to establish an AI hub that hosts talents and enhances opportunities in this field.”
The UAE Consul emphasized that the UAE is committed to exchanging knowledge on AI with the Kurdistan Region, which aims to create an AI hub that attracts talent and fosters opportunities in this field.
He added that the technology deal includes multiple sub-agreements, all focused on improving performance and facilitating knowledge exchange. This, he said, “aligns with the Kurdistan Region’s ambitions to strengthen cooperation with Abu Dhabi across various sectors, including development, economy, and investment.”
On the economic front, Dhaheri revealed that the investment volume between Erbil and Abu Dhabi has exceeded $2 billion, with Emirati businessmen looking to establish new companies in the Kurdistan Region. He also noted that travel facilitations are in place, and visas are “available for the brothers in Iraq and the Kurdistan Region.”
Barzani led a high-profile delegation to the UAE on Monday to participate in the World Government Summit in Dubai. The summit featured 30 heads of state, 140 delegations, over 400 ministers, and hundreds of experts. On Wednesday, Barzani met with Emirati President Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed al-Nahyan, Gulf Cooperation Council Secretary-General Jasem Mohamed al-Budaiwi, and Kuwait’s Prime Minister Sheikh Ahmad al-Abdullah al-Sabah, among others.
Barzani’s office stated that his meetings were part of his “continued commitment” to strengthening the Kurdistan Region’s position as a “key and reliable partner on the global stage.”
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