SULAIMANI, Kurdistan Region — After years of disputes, the Iraqi federal government and the Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG) have finally reached a final agreement on oil exports through Turkey’s Ceyhan port. Iraqi Prime Minister Mohammed Shia’ al-Sudani and KRG Prime Minister Masrour Barzani announced the agreement to reporters in Baghdad on Tuesday, following an official visit by Barzani.
The agreement marks a significant step towards resolving long-standing disputes between the two sides over oil revenues and budget share.
The recent halt in Kurdistan Region’s oil exports, following a ruling by the International Court of Arbitration favoring Iraq over Turkey for loading Kurdish oil exports at the Ceyhan port, triggered visits by KRG delegations to Baghdad to seek a resolution.
“The goodwill of the federal government and the Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG) is stressed in this agreement, which counters all the problems piled up in the past,” Sudani told reporters.
The halt in oil exports not only damaged the Kurdistan Region but also the revenues of the Iraqi government, he added.
Sudani also emphasized the importance of the upcoming gas and oil law, stating that all disputes were tied to this resolved issue, and all issues had been piling up since the Iraqi constitution was issued.
Barzani congratulated the people of Kurdistan and Iraq on this critical agreement, which he believes could serve as a base for the budget bill as well as the oil and gas law, if implemented properly. He added that the present agreement could bring more revenues to the Iraqis and the Kurdish people and strengthen the relationship between Erbil and Baghdad on the basis of the constitution.
This final agreement represents a significant achievement in resolving long-standing issues between Iraq and the KRG, paving the way for further cooperation and mutual benefit.
