A Tough Job: Building Democracy in Oil-Dependent Kurdistan
A social contract which enables the KRG to escape accountability in return for providing a salary and services is fundamentally at odds with Kurdistan’s democratic aspirations.
Policy Brief
Electoral Failures, Misguided Choices: The Finite Point of the AKP’s Kurdish Policy
Irrespective of the results of the coming elections, the AKP has reached a finite point whereby it cannot deliver fully on democratic reforms and resolution of the Kurdish issue. This article suggests that the AKP needs to seriously consider forming a coalition government that is determined to address serious domestic issues. Any other behaviour would reveal its inability to share responsibilities and power.
Negotiations for international loans for Kurdistan should resume with a clearer vision
Recent developments damaged beyond repair the confidence investors had in lending money to the KRG. As a result, the only other way out of the current economic crisis, at least in the short term, is to bring in fresh capital to cover for the money Kurdistan is unable to generate internally.
Oil for Food: The Global Food Crisis and the Middle East
Like the Gulf countries, Iraq has a high dependence on oil export revenues, food imports and considerable population growth.
Post-Maliki Iraq: An uncertain future?
While it is tough to predict how developments in Iraq will manifest in the future, Iraq’s new political dispensation under Haidar Al-Abadi is actively striving to move beyond Maliki’s destabilizing ethno-sectarian legacy and treading the path of dialogue and reconciliation.
The Iran Nuclear Deal: A View from Erbil
Iran and six world powers reached a historic deal on the 14th of July in Vienna. This deal could have far reaching consequences and significantly alter geopolitics in the Middle East.
The HDP’s Next Best Move
A HDP-AKP coalition will not only be good for domestic politics, but also will continue to build on the success stories Turkey has achieved in the Kurdistan Region of Iraq.
The Yemeni Crisis: The Prisoner’s Dilemma for Saudi Arabia and Iran
The atmosphere of regional volatility and high stakes for Saudi Arabia’s and Iran’s national security, might lead these two countries to strengthen their military positioning on different fronts across the Middle East.