The President of the Kurdistan Region, Mr. Nechirvan Barzani, has arrived in Rome, Italy, for an official visit. The president will meet with His Holiness the Pope of the Vatican, the Prime Minister of Italy, and other officials during his visit.

According to a statement by the presidency of the Kurdistan Region, the focus of the meetings will be on developing relations and expanding areas of joint cooperation between the Kurdistan Region and Italy. Additionally, a range of issues of mutual interest will be discussed between President Nechirvan Barzani, His Holiness the Pope, and Prime Minister Miloni.

President Nechirvan Barzani was officially invited to visit Rome during a meeting in Erbil on December 23, 2022, with the Prime Minister of Italy, Georgia Miloni. During the meeting, Prime Minister Miloni emphasized the importance of Italy's relations with Iraq and the Kurdistan Region, stating that the stability and strength of the region is crucial for Iraq and the broader Middle East.

Italy currently has 900 troops and advisors in the Kurdistan Region and Iraq and participates in coalition missions with 84 military vehicles and 11 military aircraft, according to a report by the international coalition against ISIS. Italy is one of the countries that trains and prepares Peshmerga forces and police in the Kurdistan Region and Iraq, having trained and prepared 58,000 Peshmerga and police forces and Iraqi security forces so far.

Italy also allocates 13 million euros annually for development projects in Iraq, particularly those aimed at promoting peace and stability in areas liberated from ISIS.

President Nechirvan Barzani's visit to Italy and the Vatican underscores the importance of cooperation and mutual understanding between the Kurdistan Region and the international community.