Who really controls Kurdistan’s gas? The Dana Gas deal, the KRG’s silence and the hidden cost of selling energy to Iraq

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By Dr. Pshtiwan Faraj | Kurdish Policy Analysis      A $2.239 billion arbitration settlement, a contract running until 2049, expanded rights for Pearl Petroleum and a new battle over gas sales to Baghdad are raising uncomfortable questions about who ultimately controls Kurdistan’s most strategic natural resource. The latest dispute over Khor Mor gas is exposing a much deeper problem in the Kurdistan Region’s energy sector: the public still does not appear to have a clear picture of who controls the region’s gas, who is authorized to sell it, and how much of its future value has already been committed to private companies. At the center of the controversy is Pearl Petroleum, the consortium led by Dana Gas and Crescent Petroleum, and a settlement agreement reached with the Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG) on August 30, 2017. Kurdistan Parliament member Kawa Sheikh Ali has now sharply criticized that agreement, asking why a government would effectively commit its natural ...
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China Releases White Paper on Global Governance: Beijing’s Blueprint for a Post-Western World Order


By Dr. Pshtiwan Faraj | Kurdish Policy Analysis

The State Council Information Office of China released a white paper on Wednesday entitled "More Just and Equitable Global Governance: China's Principles, Proposals, and Actions."

The white paper was published to present China's principles, proposals, and actions on global governance, promote broader consensus within the international community, ensure more effective responses to global challenges, and build a more just and equitable global governance system.

The white paper stated that global governance is a shared endeavor that affects the well-being of all humanity, and that building a just and equitable global governance system is a long-held common aspiration of people around the world. It added that China has always been an active participant, contributor, and builder in global governance efforts.

The white paper noted that in the new era, Chinese President Xi Jinping put forward the vision of building a community with a shared future for mankind. By promoting a global governance system based on broad consultation and joint contribution for mutual benefit, he advocated for genuine multilateralism, supporting a more equitable and orderly multipolar world and a more inclusive and beneficial globalization of the global economy.

In 2025, Xi proposed the Global Governance Initiative, designed to offer a Chinese solution to the two pressing questions of our time: What kind of global governance system should be established, and how can global governance be reformed and improved?

The white paper stated that since its inception, the initiative has garnered broad support from nearly 160 countries and international organizations, with more than 60 countries joining the Group of Friends of Global Governance. The international community views the initiative as a clear call to uphold multilateralism, unite efforts, and strive for a just future.

According to the white paper, the Global Governance Initiative aligns with the growing trend toward strengthening democracy in international relations and enhances international confidence in the practice of multilateralism. The initiative also provides a clear and actionable roadmap for improving global governance, bringing valuable stability and positive energy to a world beset by turmoil.

The white paper noted that China put forward this initiative to accelerate the building of a more just and equitable global governance system, and that firmly upholding the authority and status of the United Nations is essential for its effective implementation.

The white paper added that success will also depend on major powers demonstrating a sense of responsibility and on all countries working together to address shortcomings in peace and development. It stressed that all countries should firmly uphold the international system with the United Nations at its core, safeguard the international order based on international law, and abide by the basic norms governing international relations, as upheld by the purposes and principles of the UN Charter, rather than trying to reinvent the wheel.

With the exception of the introduction and conclusion, the White Paper consists of five main parts: “The world today faces grave and complex challenges,” “The Global Governance Initiative responds to the challenges of the times,” “China’s contribution to strengthening global governance,” “Guiding the course of change towards a brighter future,” and “Moving forward hand in hand at a critical historical juncture.”

#China #GlobalGovernance #Geopolitics #MultipolarWorld #InternationalRelations #GlobalOrder #ForeignPolicy #USChina #BRICS #WorldPolitics

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