Policy Analysis

In the Kurdistan Region of Iraq, signs of Chinese soft power are increasingly visible to residents of an area with longstanding ties to the United States.

Efforts to develop Kurdish unity in Syria come at a complex point in discussions about the SDF's future role in a new Syria.

The KDP leadership’s power-sharing status quo may be in jeopardy.

Elections in which Kurdish voters can authentically choose their leaders are not only what Kurdish citizens deserve; they increase the likelihood that the KRG will address the myriad concerns about its governance.

As UNITAD's mandate ends, all involved parties should examine the limitations of what the organization was able to accomplish for the victims of ISIL's crimes after seven years.

Effective counter-narratives are required to weaken the group's ideological appeal, especially the propaganda targeting Kurdish populations.

Only by working to address internal issues can the KRI hope to stem the tide of both irregular migration and the loss of its most valuable human capital.

With ruling parties, companies, and mainstream media aligned against them, activists and environmentalists face a formidable challenge in curbing the exploitation of nature and corporate greed.

Although many in Erbil lament Iran’s significant influence in Iraq, President Barzani now seems open to leveraging its power to address the KRI’s election dispute.

Turkey's intertwining of its mega project and its anti-PKK operation improves the chances of success for both elements. But this interconnection can be a double-edged sword—if one element fails, it may potentially hinder the success of the other.

The KRG’s autonomy hangs in the balance, caught in a pincer movement between internal political discord and a history of externally imposed limitations. The recent court rulings are merely the latest blow, further restricting the KRG’s ability to govern itself.

By finding lasting solutions in coordination with both parties, relations can be mended and the gridlock and animosity that is crippling cooperation between the two parties can be put to an end.

By outlining a strategy in the north of Iraq, a vision regarding reconciliation and a constructive settlement of differences between the Kurdistan Regional Government and the Federal Government of Iraq in relation to the management of energy resources in the Kurdistan Region of Iraq can emerge.

As the February 2024 elections approach, the quest for a new political era in Iraqi Kurdistan is encountering formidable challenges.

Turkmens in the Kurdistan Region of Iraq (KRI) are very apprehensive about the Federal Supreme Court decision, to be handed down on December 27, on the question of abolishing the eleven seats reserved for minorities in the 111-member parliament of the Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG), which currently includes five seats set aside for Turkmens.

These elections will directly affect the future of the disputed territories, and political parties must be careful to avoid deepening sectarian divides, both in this case and in future elections.

Baghdad should allow Kurdistan based oil operators to invest in the rest of Iraq as a part of a solution to the long-standing oil issue between Erbil and Baghdad, using a proven, practical model currently being implemented.

Longstanding tensions in the multi-ethnic city of Kirkuk in Iraq may once again spark confrontations between Turkey and the Kurdistan Region of Iraq (KRI), the latest in a series of disagreements over the city.

Iran has stepped up pressure on Baghdad and Erbil to disarm and relocate Iranian Kurdish opposition parties in the Kurdistan Region amidst ongoing disputes between Erbil and Baghdad over budget and oil revenues.

In the heart of Erbil, the capital of the Kurdistan Region of Iraq (KRI), construction of the ambitious Erbil Hills Golf Course is underway.