Politics

Widening divide between Kurdistan’s ruling parties raises new risks

Leaders are openly discussing the dissolution of a strategic agreement for united governance that has underpinned Kurdistan's stability and oil sector independence.

KRG Prime Minister Masrur Barzani of the KDP and Deputy Prime Minister Qubad Talabani of the PUK (background) lead a Cabinet meeting on Jan. 19, 2022. (Photo credit: KRG)

Nov 2, 2022

China positioned to thrive under Iraq’s new government

For the past year an ostensibly grassroots movement with ties to Iran-aligned parties has laid political groundwork for Iraq to embrace China’s Belt and Road Initiative.

Oct 27, 2022

UPDATE: Hayan Abdulghani confirmed to lead Oil Ministry as Sudani takes power

Mohammed Shia al-Sudani formed a government and took office as prime minister, providing initial details on his program for Iraq's energy sector.

Oct 18, 2022

Facing critical threats to oil independence, KRG leaders fail to unify

Violent political disputes bewteen Kurdistan's ruling parties are undermining their leverage in Baghdad at a pivotal time of government formation.

Sep 20, 2022

Court again delays case against Kurdistan IOCs

Gazprom Neft sends lawyer to court, bucking trend of companies ignoring Oil Ministry lawsuits seeking to invalidate KRG oil contracts.

Aug 25, 2022

UPDATE: Baghdad issues new legal threats to block Kurdistan exports

Letter from Iraq's oil marketing company warns of "firm legal action" against participants in the KRG's independent oil trade.

Aug 23, 2022

Kurdistan appeals Baghdad ruling against IOCs

Entering the legal fray as a third party, the KRG is appealing a Baghdad court’s July decision to invalidate four oil contracts.

Aug 9, 2022

Dust storms highlight Iraqi leadership failures as climate crisis worsens

Iraq's most vulnerable citizens are the hardest hit by dust storms, which are growing in frequency and intensity due to both global climate change and government inaction.

Aug 3, 2022

Political upheaval in Baghdad reverberates across oil sector

In the increasingly chaotic struggle to form a new government, Iraq's oil sector has been both a political battleground and a victim of dysfunctional governance.

Aug 2, 2022

KRG shifts legal tactics as Baghdad court delays further rulings

Oil Ministry lawsuits against three IOCs operating in Kurdistan remain undecided as a KRG lawyer asks to join the proceedings as a third party.

Jul 11, 2022

UPDATE: Iraq-Turkey arbitration ruling nears, with Kurdistan’s oil independence in the balance

The eight-year-old case, likely to be decided within the coming months, could give Baghdad major leverage in its campaign to end the KRG's oil sector independence and open a door to negotiate water rights with Turkey.

Jul 6, 2022

Court postpones hearing on Gulf Keystone contract with KRG

Days after declaring four of Kurdistan's oil contracts to be invalid, Baghdad court schedules a hearing on three others for July 17.

Jun 20, 2022

Court again delays Baghdad lawsuit against Kurdistan IOCs

Baghdad's Commercial Court again postponed the Oil Ministry's lawsuit against seven oil companies operating in Kurdistan.

May 26, 2022

Atroshi resigns from KRG Ministry of Natural Resources

The nominal leader of Kurdistan's oil sector has stepped down after a 16-month tenure marked by bureaucratic turf wars, strained relations with oil companies, and health problems.

May 11, 2022

Gas pipeline stalled by intra-Kurdish political rifts

KRG leaders have been touting the potential for major gas exports to Turkey and Europe, but worsening political rivalries are so far preventing pipeline construction.

Apr 13, 2022

Iraqi federal and KRG oil talks cordial but still at odds

In their first in-person meeting, a political delegation from Erbil talked about terms for resolving the oil dispute with Baghdad while the Oil Ministry remains focused on technical implementation of the Federal Supreme Court ruling against the Kurdistan Region’s oil sector.

Mar 28, 2022

Iraq gets renewed 120-day U.S. waiver for Iranian energy imports

After years of failure to develop sufficient domestic energy supplies, Iraq still depends on unreliable imports from Iran that require special exemptions from U.S. sanctions.

Mar 18, 2022

Parliament vote signals uphill battle for Ismaael and INOC

A recent vote to remove the oil minister as the head of the Iraqi National Oil Company highlights political headwinds for Ihsan Ismaael's efforts to restructure the oil sector and maintain a foothold beyond the transition to a new government.

Mar 14, 2022

Economic reforms hampered by political divides

Iraq’s “white paper” laid out an internationally acclaimed roadmap for economic reform. But the problems are so pervasive — and political will to tackle them so weak — that progress has been slow.

Mar 8, 2022

Uncertainty deepens after landmark ruling against Kurdistan’s oil sector

Baghdad and Erbil have vastly different strategies for responding to a ruling from Iraq's highest court that invalidated the legal foundations of Kurdistan's oil sector.

Feb 15, 2022

UPDATE: Iraqi Supreme Court strikes down KRG oil sector independence

Landmark ruling rejects the legal pillars of Kurdistan's oil sector, opening a volatile new chapter in Iraq's long-standing disputes over oil powers.

Jan 27, 2022

Omicron arrives in Iraq

The country's healthcare system is ill prepared for another surge, but government, health, and oil sector officials are hoping new variant's milder symptoms will soften the impact.

Jan 11, 2022

KRG shuts border with Syrian Kurds, cutting oil artery

The closure blocks a major source of funding for the Rojava administration, a U.S. ally in the fight against IS.

Nov 23, 2021

Student protests highlight ongoing KRG budget pressures

Demonstrators have blocked highways and picketed government buildings in Sulaimaniya and Erbil, demanding a further unwinding of government austerity measures.