Kurdish Policy Analysis

  By Dr. Pshtiwan Faraj   While global attention remains fixed on oil exports, the real casualty of the Hormuz crisis may be Iraq's grassroots trade with the Gulf—and Türkiye stands ready to benefit. The Strait of Hormuz crisis is disrupting Iraq-GCC trade beyond oil, pushing businesses toward Türkiye and reshaping regional supply chains. When analysts discuss the consequences of a potential closure of the Strait of Hormuz, the conversation almost always revolves around oil exports, naval deployments, and global energy markets. Yet one of the most significant consequences may be unfolding far from the headlines—in the warehouses, logistics hubs, and wholesale markets that underpin Iraq's commercial relationship with the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC). The disruption of maritime traffic through Hormuz is exposing a structural weakness in Iraq's economic integration with the Gulf. While governments continue to sign memoranda of understanding and announce billion-dollar inv...

By Dr. Pshtiwan Faraj Kurdish Policy Analysis Prime Minister Ali Falih Al-Zaidi convenes Iraqi-Turkish business leaders as Baghdad accelerates economic reforms, cross-border trade, and strategic investment ties with Ankara. Iraq and Turkey are strengthening economic ties through investment, trade facilitation, and business cooperation, signalling a new phase in their strategic partnership. Iraq and Turkey Deepen Economic Alliance Iraqi Prime Minister Ali Falih Al-Zaidi chaired the Iraqi-Turkish Roundtable on Tuesday, bringing together senior government officials and a large delegation of Turkish business leaders in a meeting that underscored Baghdad's determination to deepen economic integration with one of its most important regional partners. While the meeting focused on investment opportunities and trade facilitation, its broader significance extends far beyond commerce. As Iraq seeks to diversify its economy, reduce dependence on oil revenues, and position itself as a re...

By Dr. Pshtiwan Faraj | Kurdish Policy Analysis   It was an ordinary afternoon in Sulaimani when I decided to take a walk through one of the city's busiest commercial districts. As I wandered through the crowded streets, passing shop after shop filled with electronics, household goods, clothing, toys, furniture, and construction materials, one sign immediately caught my attention: "Chinese Market." It was not a small corner dedicated to imported products but an entire marketplace built around Chinese goods. Walking through its narrow aisles, I realized that almost everything on display—from the smallest kitchen utensil to sophisticated solar equipment—had been manufactured thousands of kilometres away in China. The deeper I walked into the market, the more striking the picture became. Shopkeepers proudly explained that their products arrived directly from Guangzhou, Yiwu, Shenzhen, and other Chinese manufacturing hubs. Customers compared prices, examined household applian...

By Dr. Pshtiwan Faraj | Kurdish Policy Analysis     As China, the United States, the Gulf states, Iran, and Türkiye compete over new trade and energy corridors, Kurdistan is emerging as one of the most strategically important crossroads of the 21st century. Whether it becomes a regional hub or remains a geopolitical battleground may shape the future of the Middle East. For decades, the Middle East has been viewed primarily through the lens of oil, conflict, and military alliances. Today, however, a new geopolitical competition is unfolding—one defined not by territorial conquest but by the race to control global trade corridors. Railways are replacing battlefields. Ports are becoming strategic assets. Energy pipelines are increasingly as important as military bases. At the heart of this emerging geopolitical transformation lies an often-overlooked region: Kurdistan. According to legal and energy analyst Rebwar Mohammed Amin, the world is entering what he describes as an...