ARTICLE AD BOX
News of recent energy deals between the Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG) and American companies has reignited the historic dispute between Baghdad and Erbil over control of Iraq's energy resources. Below is a detailed analysis of this situation.
📰 News Summary
On May 19, 2025, Kurdistan Prime Minister Masrour Barzani oversaw the signing of two energy agreements with American companies HKN Energy and WesternZagros.
These deals, valued at $110 billion, seek to develop the Miran and Topkhana-Kurdamir gas fields in the Sulaymaniya region. However, Iraq's Oil Ministry declared these agreements "null and void" due to lack of approval from the federal government.
Baghdad insists that natural resources are the collective property of all Iraqis and that any agreement must go through the central government.
⚖️ Causes of Conflict
The dispute between Baghdad and Erbil focuses on several key points:
Control of energy resources: Kurdistan has sought to develop and export its own energy resources without supervision from Baghdad, which has generated tensions over the sovereignty and control of these resources.
Interpretation of Article 112 of the Constitution of Iraq: This article states that the federal government must manage natural resources in collaboration with regions and provinces. However, the implementation of this article has been the subject of debate, with Kurdistan interpreting it in a way that grants it greater autonomy in the management of its resources.
S&P Global
Judicial decisions: Iraq's Federal Supreme Court has issued rulings deeming Kurdistan's 2007 oil and gas law unconstitutional, ordering the KRG to hand over control of its energy resources to the federal government.
peregraf.com
🔄 Internal Dynamics of Kurdistan
In addition to tensions with Baghdad, Kurdistan faces internal challenges that complicate its position:
Internal political divisions: Kurdistan is divided between the Kurdistan Democratic Party (KDP) and the Patriotic Union of Kurdistan (PUK). These factions have had disagreements over the management of energy resources, leading to boycotts and internal disputes.
washingtoninstitute.org
Economic dependence: The KRG has relied heavily on oil revenues to finance its administration. The lack of regular payments and the accumulation of debts have generated tensions internally and with international investors.
washingtoninstitute.org
🌍 Regional and International Implications
The dispute between Baghdad and Erbil has repercussions beyond Iraq:
Relations with Türkiye: Kurdistan has sought to develop energy infrastructure in collaboration with Türkiye, including pipelines to export oil. However, legal disputes have affected these initiatives, such as the International Trade Court's decision that ordered Turkey to pay damages for allowing Kurdish oil exports without Baghdad's approval.
Interests of international actors: Countries such as the United States have shown interest in Kurdistan's energy resources. However, political tensions and a lack of legal stability have made foreign investment in the region difficult.
🔍 Conclusion
The dispute between Baghdad and Erbil over Iraq's energy resources is complex and multifaceted.
While Kurdistan seeks greater autonomy in the management of its resources, it faces internal and external challenges that complicate its position.
Resolving this conflict will require a diplomatic approach that considers both the aspirations of Kurdistan and the unity and sovereignty of Iraq.
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Clearly, we have a "County" (Kurdistan), which is part of the Whole of Iraq (Erbil-Baghdad), but by having more resources of oil, gas, etc., it considers that it should have more control than the Country in General to decide what to do with its resources and how to manage them...
Basically it is like having a "County" that wants to be Independent of the Central Country, only in matters of distribution of profits from "their resources" because they consider that "Their Land" is not part of Erbil-Baghdad, or if it is,
because it is "Their Land" they should decide more about that land than the others...
This is a problem that is very complicated and that at this point, thank God, has not generated a civil war within Iraq...
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