THE KURDISTAN REGIONAL GOVERNMENT (KRG) - IRAQ OIL CONFLICT: NAVIGATING LEGAL PLURALISM IN CONFLICT RESOLUTION
Keywords:
economic development, federal government, Krg-Iraq oil conflict, political dialogue, resource management
Abstract
This study aims to examine the complex oil dispute between the Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG) and the Federal Government of Iraq, highlighting its political, economic, and social dimensions. Using a multidisciplinary approach, this research employs qualitative analysis based on legal and policy frameworks to assess the implications of the conflict. The findings indicate that the dispute extends beyond resource control, affecting federal governance, ethnic autonomy, and national stability. Economically, it disrupts regional development and threatens Iraq’s oil-dependent economy. Socially, it exacerbates ethnic divisions, while politically, it challenges legal interpretations of resource rights and revenue sharing. The study concludes that resolving this conflict requires comprehensive policy reforms, enhanced transparency, and international cooperation to foster sustainable regional stability and development.
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References
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Bazoobandi, S. (2016). Economic diversification in the GCC countries: Record and future trends in the Kurdistan Region. Middle Eastern Studies, 52(4), 610-624.
Bromley, S. (2008). Rethinking Middle East politics: State formation and development. Polity Press.
Carment, D., & Samy, Y. (2015). Managing Minority Aspirations: Oil and Political Mobilization in the Kurdistan Region of Iraq. World Development, 76, 166-179.
Colgan, J. D. (2013). Fueling the fire: Pathways from oil to war. International Security, 38(2), 147-180. https://doi.org/10.1162/ISEC_a_00135
Deeks, A. (2018). Shared Sovereignty and Oil in Iraq. Virginia Journal of International Law, 58(1), 1-52.
Dickson, D. M. (2009). Priming the pump, Iraq seeks foreign investment to rebuild. McClatchy - Tribune Business News. Tribune Content Agency LLC.
Farchy, J. (2016). Resource wealth and political regimes in the Middle East and North Africa. Cambridge University Press.
Fatah, H. A. (2020). The KRG's Oil Policy: Challenges and Opportunities for Energy Independence. Middle East Journal, 74(2), 233-251.
Griffiths, J. (2005). What is Legal Pluralism? Journal of Legal Pluralism and Unofficial Law, 24(1), 1-55
Gunter, M. M. (2017). The Kurdish Question in Perspective. World Affairs, 180(1), 83-97.
Hanna, G. F., Hammoud, M. S., & Russo-Converso, J. A. (2014). Foreign direct investment in post-conflict countries: The case of Iraq’s oil and electricity sectors. International Journal of Energy Economics and Policy, 4(2), 137-148.
Harchaoui, J. (2022). Oil and Sovereignty: Petro-Politics and the Rise of Sub-State Actors in Iraq. Journal of International Affairs, 75(1), 145-160.
Hasan, Q. M., & Perot, K. A. (2021). Production sharing contracts and rentiers: Reforming transparency gaps in Kurdistan's oil and gas contracts. The Extractive Industries and Society, 8(2), Article 100899. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.exis.2021.100899
Ipek, P. (2017). Oil and intra-state conflict in Iraq and Syria: Sub-state actors and challenges for Turkey's energy security. Middle Eastern Studies, 53(3), 406-419. https://doi.org/10.1080/00263206.2016.1265511
Jensen, N., & Richter, B. K. (2016). Nation-building and Resource Management: The Economics of Oil in Iraq's Kurdish Region. Journal of Development Economics, 118, 1-11.
Karadag, R. (2019). Oil, Governance and the (Mis)Allocation of Talent in Developing Countries. Journal of Comparative Economics, 47(1), 88-106.
Khedery, A. (2016). Iraq’s Last Chance: Petroleum and the Middle East Reshuffle. Middle East Quarterly, 23(3), 29-38.
O'Driscoll, D. (2017). The Sustainable Development of Oil and Gas in the Kurdistan Region of Iraq. Sustainable Development Law & Policy, 18(1), 24-31.
Siddiqui, S., & Tippee, B. (2020). Geopolitical Dynamics of Oil and Gas Markets in the Middle East: Impacts on Investment and Supply. Oil & Gas Journal, 118(5), 54-59.
Tamanaha, B. Z. (2008). Understanding Legal Pluralism: Past to Present, Local to Global. Sydney Law Review, 30(3), 375-411.
World Bank. (2014). Republic of Iraq public expenditure review: Toward more efficient spending for better service delivery. World Bank Studies. Washington, DC: World Bank. https://doi.org/10.1596/978-1-4648-0294-2
World Bank. (2015). The Kurdistan Region of Iraq: Assessing the economic and social impact of the Syrian conflict and ISIS. Washington, DC: World Bank. https://doi.org/10.1596/978-1-4648-0548-6
Yeşiltaş, M., & Bilgili, İ. (2022). Turkey, Iraq, and the Kurdistan Regional Government: Triangular Politics and Energy Security. Middle East Policy, 29(1), 42-56.
Published
2025-02-27
How to Cite
Kusuma, R. P., Razzaqitaqwa, R., & Tehupelasury, A. H. (2025). THE KURDISTAN REGIONAL GOVERNMENT (KRG) - IRAQ OIL CONFLICT: NAVIGATING LEGAL PLURALISM IN CONFLICT RESOLUTION. Indonesian Journal of International Relations, 9(1), 139-161. https://doi.org/10.32787/ijir.v9i1.638
Section
Articles
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