New Breakthrough in Kurdish-Iraqi Oil Export Talks: Will it Lead to a Resolution?

In recent news, Iraqi Oil Minister Hayyan Abdul-Ghani has announced that the federal government in Baghdad and the Iraqi Kurdistan Autonomous Government are close to reaching an agreement to resume oil exports. This comes after a halt in oil exports from Kurdistan through the Turkish port of Ceyhan in 2023 due to a ruling by the International Chamber of Commerce in Paris that Turkey was violating the terms of a 1973 treaty by transiting Kurdish oil without Baghdad’s consent.

Following the stoppage of oil exports, negotiations began between Erbil and Baghdad regarding the distribution of profits from oil exports. It is worth noting that Kurdistan was supplying oil to Israel during this time. In November 2023, Abdul-Ghani made a similar statement about reaching an agreement, but ultimately the parties were unable to come to a resolution.

Despite previous setbacks, the recent announcement from Abdul-Ghani suggests that progress is being made towards a new agreement on oil exports between Baghdad and the Iraqi Kurdistan Autonomous Government. This potential agreement could have significant implications for the oil industry in the region and how profits from oil exports are distributed between the two governments. The resumption of oil exports from Kurdistan would not only benefit both parties involved but also have wider implications for