By Miran Hussein
The visit of the French Foreign Minister to the Kurdistan Region and his meetings with officials from both the Region and Western Kurdistan (Rojava) highlight France’s significant interest in the Kurdistan Region and the role the Region plays in France’s broader Middle East strategy.
The visit of Jean-Noël Barrot, France’s Minister for Europe and Foreign Affairs, to the Kurdistan Region—which included meetings with KRG officials as well as a meeting with Mazloum Abdi and several Kurdish officials from Western Kurdistan—is more than just a demonstration of France’s concern for the Kurdistan Region and the Kurdish cause. It represents a deliberate effort by France to position itself as an influential power in the Middle East.
France’s efforts to establish a wide network of relations in the Middle East, and with the Kurdistan Region in particular, are not new; they date back many years. France is working to act not merely as a spectator in the region, but as a major power with significant influence. By leveraging its historical relationship with regional countries—especially as the United States seeks to reduce its presence in the Middle East—France aims for the Kurdistan Region and Western Kurdistan to become key areas where it plays a primary role. It is anticipated that France is currently attempting to fill the vacuum left by the U.S. to some extent, playing a major political, diplomatic, commercial, and military role in the region.
The selection of the Kurdistan Region as a primary hub for French strategy is due to its geostrophic importance at the heart of the Middle East. The Region is rich in oil and natural gas and possesses a historical foundation of friendly relations with France. These strong ties date back to the efforts of Madame Danielle Mitterrand to protect the people of Kurdistan. Furthermore, France was among the first countries to open a consulate in the Kurdistan Region, and its support during the war against ISIS further solidified the bond between the two sides.
Consequently, France is expected to emerge as an influential force in the Middle East, with the Kurdistan Region at the forefront of areas where France maintains an active role. In return, the Kurdistan Region can benefit from its alliance with France, which is a leading member of the European Union, a permanent member of the UN Security Council, and one of the world’s most advanced industrial nations. France has the potential to serve as a primary ally for the Kurdistan Region and to exert influence regarding the Kurdish issue across other parts of Kurdistan.
Therefore, it is expected that France’s role and relations throughout the Middle East and the Kurdistan Region will become much more extensive than in the past. The level of cooperation between France and both the Kurdistan Region and Kurds in other parts is set to increase significantly, covering all fields in a very broad manner.