The Lucrative Deals: Who Benefits from the Kurdistan’s Recourses?
Karmand Haji Rasul Akoi – Activist
In places rich with natural resources, the important question is: who really benefits? In the Kurdistan Region, this question is getting louder with each secret deal made. Even though these deals promise progress and wealth, often regular people do not see any information nor benefit. Instead, power and money stay with a small group. This has happened before, and the results have been harmful, yet it keeps happening.
Instead of serving the people, these agreements often end up harming them. Sadly, such deals are nothing new to the Kurdish public. The KRG has a long history of using natural resources to benefit a small group of people in power. One clear example is oil exports. Even today, the KRG is still paying off debts from that venture. Yes, it’s true — instead of earning money, the KRG owes millions of dollars because of this risky gamble with the region’s wealth and the future of its people. So how can anyone be sure the same won’t happen with gas deals?
What is even more troubling is that in such large and important deals, the parliament is completely left out. These agreements are being made outside official government institutions, raising serious concerns about their legality. Even worse, the details of these deals are not shared with the public, leaving people in the dark about decisions that deeply affect their future. The Iraqi federal government has already called them illegal, since none of its agencies were involved. All evidence points to one main beneficiary: the current KRG prime minister. Once again, the region’s natural resources are being used outside the law — not for the benefit of the Kurdish people, but to enrich a powerful few.
The people of Kurdistan deserve honest leaders who work for everyone, not just a few. Natural resources should help all the people, not just a small group and the public deserves to know how these resources are being used. Past oil deals show that secret and rushed agreements can cause big problems. Without clear rules and the parliament’s approval, gas deals might cause the same troubles. It’s time to stop this pattern before more damage is done.