Kurdish Policy Analysis

By Dr. Pshtiwan Faraj Sulaimani, Iraqi Kurdistan — 28 May 2026  Ankara and Baghdad are quietly building alternative trade routes through Syria that could sideline the Kurdistan Region’s strategic role as Iraq’s northern gateway. For Years, the Ibrahim Khalil Border Crossing Between Iraqi Kurdistan and Turkey Was a Testament to the Region’s Strategic Importance On May 18, 2026, a cargo convoy crossed into Syria from Turkey before continuing on to Iraq. The transit not only signifies Syria’s return to regional commercial activity after 15 years but also signals its potential emergence as a replacement for the Kurdistan Region of Iraq as a transit hub between Turkey and federal Iraq. Iraqi officials deny that there is any plan to replace the Kurdistan Region’s trade routes with those running through Syria. But regardless of whether Baghdad is sincere, the development is a cause of concern about the strategic importance of Iraqi Kurdistan. Regardless of whether Baghdad is sincere...

 How Kurdish Energy Could Reshape Middle Eastern Energy Politics?      Energy has long been one of the central drivers of power and influence in the Middle East. While traditional producers such as Saudi Arabia , Iran , and Iraq dominate global attention, a quieter but increasingly significant energy actor is emerging in northern Iraq: the Kurdistan Region of Iraq . With considerable oil and gas reserves and a strategic geographic position, Kurdish energy resources could reshape regional energy politics and influence future energy routes between the Middle East and Europe. A Growing Energy Producer Over the past two decades, the Kurdistan Region of Iraq has developed a growing energy sector that has attracted major international energy companies. Oil fields around Erbil , Duhok , and Kirkuk have become central to the region’s economic development. Kurdish authorities have signed energy agreements with foreign firms, enabling the region to export oil independently ...