The President of the Senate, Sen. Pietro Grasso, visited Iraq and the autonomous region of Iraqi Kurdistan, on December 22nd and 23rd. During his visit in Baghdad, he met the President of the Republic of Iraq, Mr. Fuad Masum, his homologue, the Speaker of the Iraqi Parliament, Mr. Salim al Jabouri, as well as the Patriarch Louis Sako and the Apostolic Nuncio Alberto Ortega.
During the meeting with President Masum and Speaker al Jabouri, it was underlined the wide spectrum of the Italian support to Iraq: the relevant Italian commitment in the fight against Da’esh and in the essential activities of training in favor of Iraqi security and police forces; the financial contribution to the UNDP stabilization fund FFIS (third contributor); the cooperation initiatives in order to cope with the humanitarian crisis, with more than 3 million IDPs; the preservation activities of the cultural and historical heritage of the Country. The fight against Da’esh was at the heart of all the meetings, since there is a threat not only to Iraq but also to the entire world (as said by President Masum, who expressed his solidarity after the recent attacks in Europe, “it is like a disease which can infect everyone”). That is why the most extended International Coalition ever established is in charge of this difficult task, and Italy is part of it.
During the visit in Erbil, President Grasso met the Kurdish President, Mr. Masoud Barzani, and the Prime Minister of the Kurdish Regional Government (KRG), Mr. Nechirvan Barzani, and he also officially inaugurated the new Italian Consulate. The Kurdish counterparts highlighted the appreciation for the role that Italy is playing in the humanitarian field and in the assistance in the defense sector and, while underlining some of the difficulties faced by the Iraqi Kurdistan, they reassured the utmost commitment against radical terrorism. President Grasso had also the opportunity to pay visit to the Citadel of Erbil, the archeological site which was inscribed on the World Heritage List more than a year ago and where many of the principal programs of the Italian Cooperation take place.
The President of the Senate visited, both in Baghdad and Erbil, the military bases deployed in order to provide training and assistance activities in favor of the Iraqi Security Forces, police forces and peshmerga. Lastly, he went to the refugees camp in Ashti, near Erbil, which harbours more than 1200 families, mostly fleeing Niniveh. The Italian Cooperation funded the construction of a primary school, realized by the Italian NGO, Un Ponte Per. There are many other NGos working there, among which FOCSIV and Intersos, endlessly committed in the realization of development projects in the sanitation, psyco-social and education sectors.
