Abdul El-Sayed defies $60 Million campaign against him, wins Michigan Democratic Senate Primary

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  By Dr. Pshtiwan Faraj | Kurdish Policy Analysis Despite massive spending by outside groups and high-profile endorsements for his opponent, Abdul El-Sayed secured a decisive Democratic Senate primary victory and now heads into a closely watched November showdown. Abdul El-Sayed has scored one of the most closely watched political upsets of the 2026 election cycle, defeating Representative Haley Stevens in Michigan's Democratic Senate primary despite facing more than $60 million in outside spending , much of it from pro-Israel political groups. The victory marks a significant breakthrough for the progressive wing of the Democratic Party and sets up a high-stakes general election contest against Republican Mike Rogers in November. El-Sayed's campaign prevailed even after Stevens received late endorsements from Michigan Governor Gretchen Whitmer and influential national Democrats, including Representative James Clyburn . Those endorsements failed to reverse momentum behind El-S...
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By Dr. Pshtiwan Faraj | Kurdish Policy Analysis


KRG delegation to sign custom agreement with Baghdad: Source


A member of the KRG delegation said that meetings with their Iraqi counterparts will begin on Thursday, aiming to reach a “final understanding and sign the memorandum of understanding (MoU) that was prepared during previous meetings.”

ERBIL, Kurdistan Region of Iraq – A Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG) delegation is set to travel to Baghdad and sign an agreement with federal authorities on Thursday regarding the implementation of the ASYCUDA customs system at the Region’s border crossings, an informed source said Wednesday.

 

The delegation, consisting of representatives from the customs, trade, agriculture, industry, and quality control departments, is set to head to Baghdad at 7:00 pm on Wednesday. The visit aims to finalize the remaining details for implementing the ASYCUDA system at the Kurdistan Region's border crossings.

 

A member of the KRG delegation told The New Region that meetings with their Iraqi counterparts will begin on Thursday, aiming to reach a “final understanding and sign the memorandum of understanding (MoU) that was prepared during previous meetings.”

 

Erbil and Baghdad have been at odds over implementing the ASYCUDA customs system. While Baghdad has already adopted it and is pressuring the KRG to follow suit, Kurdish authorities have requested more time. The dispute has also been accompanied by restricting the access of the Region’s businessmen to dollars at the official exchange rate since the start of the year.

 

After both sides sign the MoU, the document will be referred to the federal ministerial council for economic affairs for final approval, the source added.

 

The New Region understands that despite the progress, several points of contention remain that the delegation has not been able to resolve and has been left to the council.

 

The most notable outstanding issue is Baghdad’s demand that 100 percent of customs and border revenues go to Baghdad’s treasury, after which 50 percent would be sent back to Erbil as the Region’s share. However, the Kurdistan Region has not agreed to this request so far.


Preliminary agreement expected as Erbil and Baghdad move toward unified customs system and removal of internal checkpoints

A delegation from the Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG) is set to visit Baghdad on Wednesday to discuss the implementation of the ASYCUDA customs management system at the Kurdistan Region’s border crossings, in a move aimed at enhancing customs coordination between Erbil and Baghdad and streamlining trade procedures across Iraq.

The delegation is expected to meet with representatives of the federal government on Thursday, when both sides are scheduled to sign a preliminary agreement on the introduction of the Automated System for Customs Data (ASYCUDA) at border crossings throughout the Kurdistan Region.

The initiative forms part of broader efforts to unify customs procedures, improve transparency, and facilitate trade between the Kurdistan Region and the rest of Iraq.

Speaking to Kurdistan24, Samer Qasim, head of Iraq’s General Customs Authority, said there is full coordination and strong mutual understanding between Baghdad and the Kurdistan Region regarding the implementation of the system at the Region’s border facilities.

“We have complete coordination and good understanding with the Kurdistan Region on implementing the ASYCUDA system at the Region’s border centers,” Qasim said.

He noted that four customs offices currently operate between the Kurdistan Region and Iraq’s central and southern provinces. According to Qasim, these measures were introduced as temporary arrangements to ensure fairness among traders.

He stressed that once the ASYCUDA system is fully implemented, the internal customs checkpoints will be removed and unofficial crossing points closed, a step expected to facilitate the movement of goods and reduce administrative barriers.

Qasim also highlighted the role of customs authorities in combating money laundering and terrorism financing through enhanced monitoring of financial transfers linked to customs declarations.

He explained that customs procedures have been integrated with advance customs declarations and coordinated closely with the Central Bank of Iraq, helping authorities prevent the outflow of hard currency without corresponding imports of legitimate goods.

According to Qasim, the digital customs platform will significantly improve efficiency, allowing customs transactions to be processed and completed within 24 hours once the system becomes operational.

The ASYCUDA system, developed by the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development, is used by numerous countries worldwide to modernize customs administration, automate trade procedures, and strengthen oversight of cross-border commerce.

The planned agreement reflects ongoing cooperation between Erbil and Baghdad on economic and financial issues, including customs administration, revenue collection, and efforts to enhance transparency in trade flows across Iraq's borders.

#Kurdistan #Iraq #KRG #Baghdad #ASYCUDA #Trade #Customs #Economy #Governance #BorderCrossings

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