Federal politicians talk security and migration in Iraq

Two federal ministers – Steven Vandeput (defence) and Jan Jambon (home affairs) – as well as migration secretary Theo Francken are in Iraq this week for talks on security and migration issues.

Belgium is part of the international coalition in Iraq to combat IS, with 280 Belgian troops posted in Syria and Iraq, and Belgian F-16 fighters carrying out missions over the countries from their base in Jordan.

Belgium also supplies some 40 military and security instructors in Baghdad and in the capital of the autonomous region of Kurdistan, Erbil, for the training of Kurdish Peshmerga fighters and Iraqi special forces.

Belgium has also experienced a wave of migration from Iraq, which led to several measures by Francken that have sometimes proven controversial such as the offer of money to migrants who agreed to return home.

Due to the sensitivity of the mission, details such as with whom the ministers will meet have not been released.

Photo: Defence minister Steven Vandeput at the Belgian airbase in Azraq, Jordan, last month ©Benoit Doppagne/BELGA