Peregraf
Iraqi President Abdul Latif Rashid has reaffirmed his commitment to resolving the longstanding oil and gas disputes between the Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG) and the federal government in Baghdad, highlighting the urgent need to pass a unified oil and gas law in Iraq.
Speaking on the second day of the Delphi Forum in Sulaimani, President Rashid said, "My priority is to find a solution to the oil and gas law in Iraq that will resolve the sources of conflict so that revenue sources benefit all Iraqis."
The lack of a federal oil and gas law has been a major point of contention between Erbil and Baghdad for nearly two decades. The Kurdistan Region has operated under its own Oil and Gas Law No. 22, passed in 2007, allowing it to sign independent contracts and manage its natural resources. However, on February 15, 2022, the Iraqi Federal Supreme Court ruled the KRG’s oil law unconstitutional, demanding that all oil production be handed over to the federal government and granting Baghdad authority to review and annul existing contracts with foreign oil companies.
The Iraqi parliament has made multiple attempts over the past two decades to pass an oil and gas law, but all efforts have failed due to persistent disagreements between political parties over the control and distribution of oil revenues.
Despite ongoing talks, no clear resolution has been reached, and oil exports from the Kurdistan Region and Kirkuk to Turkey remain suspended. The exports were halted on March 25, 2023, after the Paris-based International Chamber of Commerce ruled in favor of Baghdad in a case against Turkey for allowing the KRG to export oil independently.
Over two years later, the impasse continues, with no set date for the resumption of exports through the Turkish port of Ceyhan. The suspension has significantly impacted the KRG’s economy, which relies heavily on oil revenues.
President Rashid’s statement signals a renewed push to break the deadlock and pass a long-awaited oil and gas law that could redefine federal-regional energy relations and stabilize Iraq’s resource management.