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