H.E. Nechirvan Barzani, the Prime Minister of the Kurdistan Region, on his vision to achieve economic stability and sustainable growth in the Kurdistan Region.

The rapid plunge in oil prices shocked policy makers around the globe, and the emerging energy market of Kurdistan was not immune.

The Production Sharing Contracts (PSC) signed between the Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG) and the International Oil Companies (IOC) regulate almost all aspects of the companies’...

How a dynamic, pluralist and moderate Kurdistan can help the world overcome Daesh

By bringing together leading figures in domestic and international politics, MERI aims to provide a platform for constructive dialogue to those committed to overcoming the crises currently...

The majority of people in the Kurdistan Region are financially dependent on the government, which is itself dependent on oil income. Like many oil-based economies, the region’s economic...

By Dave van Zoonen
The vulnerability of Kurdistan’s economy to volatility in the international markets was painfully revealed by last year’s fall in oil prices.

In the latest sign that Kurdish oil has established a foothold in the international market, November marked the third consecutive month of payments to firms exporting crude through...

As a semi-autonomous Region, the Kurdistan Region has introduced certain tax laws and practices that diverge from the position in Federal Iraq.

By Allegra E. Klein, Chief Operating Officer, MSELECT
The Kurdistan region has experienced a series of economic blows in the past 18 months, the effects of which have bee...

The on-going structural conflict in Iraq coupled with the advance of the Islamic State in Syria and Iraq has severely compromised human security in the Kurdistan Region.

By Jacob Shapiro
At the Rwanga Foundation we believe that education is an investment in future.

By Tim Mewmaw
Tim Mewmaw is currently writing a novel, titled: Wearing a Niqab, to memorialize the Yezidi’s strength in the face of the Islamic State’s onslaught ove...

Empire World continues to forge ahead, advancing the construction of the Empire World Project despite the economic challenges confronting the Kurdistan Region.

AUDK’s commitment to changing people’s lives for the better by offering state-of-the-art programs, writes Dr. Honar Issa, Member of the Board of Trustees, American University Duhok...

With decreasing humanitarian aid, more development must come: resilience-building for refugees and host community in Kurdistan, writes Roger Guiu, MERI Research Fellow.

Social security exemptions for oil companies operating in the Kurdistan Region of Iraq, writes Alain M. Hannouche.

The oil and gas industry’s potential and challenges in the Kurdistan Region, writes Shwan Zulal, Carduchi Consulting Director.

The Kurdistan Region has huge potential of becoming an agricultural hub in the Middle East. There are strong indicators that agriculture industry will play a prominent role in shaping...

The Kurdistan Region should be proud of its perception as a guardian of minorities, providing at risk groups with security and shelter. However, more should be done to protect the rights...

By Whitman Davis, Rwanga Foundation
When Rwanga decided to open a designated area primarily for Yazidi internally displaced persons (IDPs), there was carefu...

British foreign policy has been relatively passive for over a year to avoid needless controversy before the election and as parliament and government have settled in.

It would be safe to say that there exists a strong international consensus as to the benefits of democracy, meaning that talking about the negative aspects of the introduction of democratic...

A series of reforms and investments has helped reinvigorate the health sector in Kurdistan since 2007. Today, the industry provides plenty of opportunities for foreign investors.

Top trending construction projects in the Kurdistan Region.

Major investments in the Kurdistan Region’s higher education system are helping to develop well-trained human capital.

As a commercial pilot with over 14,000 hours of experience flying everything from small aircraft to Boeing jets and an FAA-licensed airframe and power plant technician, Macair Flight...

From the accomplishments and challenges of 2014 to the upward trajectory of 2015, Kurdistan remains a choice destination for energy sector investors.

In another step forward for transparency in the Kurdistan’s energy sector and finances, the KRG Ministry of Natural Resources (MNR) released its comprehensive Annual Report in April...

Bringing the best international practices to Kurdistan.

Ankara-Erbil relations significantly deepened and widened to cover security, economic, political, and cultural dimensions over the last decade.

The KRG’s dynamic foreign relations are crucial and integral components of the Kurdistan Region’s economic and social development. The DFR’s foremost objectives are to raise the...

Despite the challenges the Kurdistan Region faced in 2014, the KRG has not retreated from its main goals– improving security in the Region and forging strong diplomatic and economic...

Dr. Anwar Anaid explains the success of the Kurdistan Region's economic regionalism, and why the Region's stability and prosperity are crucial for Iraq.

2015 brings new challenges but promises to be the best year yet for Kurdistan's energy sector.

At the beginning of April this year, Fransabank opened its first branch in Erbil.

By Sofia Barbarani —
An international charity foundation in Kurdistan made headlines around the world in August for being the first organization to deliver humanitarian...

Across from the green expanse of Erbil’s Sami Abdul Rahman Park, a giant new building is quickly rising into the city’s skyline.

The Kurdistan Region, with a diversity of both landscapes and cultures, looks to raise its profile as a tourist destination in spite of the obstacles posed by regional turmoil.

Since the Kurdistan Region is landlocked with no extant rail services, its road and air transportation networks are fundamentally important in efforts to facilitate economic development.

In spite of the recent political upheaval in Iraq, 2014 has been a year of growth for oil and gas production in Kurdistan.

The last year has been a time of both landmark achievements and unprecedented challenges for the economy of the Kurdistan Region.

How to register an oil services company in the Kurdistan Region of Iraq.

Shwan Zulal shares his insight on the recent events and their impact on the oil and gas industry.

The profile of the Iraqi Kurds in the British parliament continues to soar.

Chris Parker discusses why the KRG should create the skilled workforce.

Shwan Zulal shares his insight on the recent events and their impact on the oil and gas industry.

The new projects, regulation, and processing facilities will help to modernize Kurdistan’s water supply system.

The unique topography of the Kurdistan Region makes it ideally suited to the development of a prominent agriculture industry.

Kurdistan’s ICT sector started from almost nothing in 2005, and has since become one of the Kurdistan Region’s most well developed and strategically important sectors.

As quantity meets demand, however, and global companies set up shop in Kurdistan, quality is now securely in the spotlight. In many respects, 2014 has seen initial rumblings of many...

MSelect announced the launch of its 2014 Kurdistan Employee Survey, the first such comprehensive survey ‘from the ground’ in Kurdistan.

Faruk Holding, in partnership with Lafarge, have found an innovative method of using Sulaimani’s waste to partially fuel the city’s major cement plants—reducing industrial CO2...

Kurdistan’s quickly expanding workforce contains arguably the most potential to reshape the Kurdistan Region’s business, economic, and social landscape for the better, over the...

The US business community, increasingly finding its way into the growing sectors in the Kurdistan Region, will soon find additional support in the Region.

One of the biggest challenges for any economy is attracting and securing foreign investment. But Dubai – one of the Middle East’s most prominent financial actors – has only seen...

Aamina is a social investment advisor focused on advancing the Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) practice in the Kurdistan Region of Iraq (KRI).

Baroness Nicholson provides insight into the activities of the IBBC, and discusses the many opportunities in Iraq and the Kurdistan Region for UK business and investment.

The British Parliament has cross-party groups providing bridges of friendship with 133 countries and regions. The all-party parliamentary group (APPG) on the Kurdistan Region in Iraq...

With increased business interactions between the Kurdistan Region and Turkey, socio-political bonds have strengthened in the recent years.

In a region where high-ranking positions are often dominated by men, the Kurdistan Region is gradually opening its eyes to the benefits of women’s participation in society.

While its unofficial epithet, The Davos of the Middle East, may be ambitious, the 2014 Sulaimani Forum, hosted by the American University of Iraq, Sulaimani (AUIS) on March 4th and...

Nick Baird analyzes the development of UK-Kurdistan business ties, and discusses the key economic areas of interest for British companies considering using the stability and prosperity...

Turkey’s recent decision to award the Turkish group Siyah Kalem a license to import gas from the Kurdistan Region increases pressure on Baghdad to allow the KRG the right to export...

Blessed with abundant reserves, a prudent vision for resource development, and access to lucrative markets, Kurdistan emerges as the last onshore oil bonanza in the world.

Despite the significant progress that has been achieved in recent years, major reforms are needed to overcome the fundamental financial obstacles of the banking industry.

Kurdistan Regional Government has targeted the development of a well-educated population in order to allow the Region to continue to make uninterrupted strides in its economic growth.

Healthcare spending between 2013-2020 is set to rise to $2.1 billion, with emphasis to be placed on the modernization and expansion of the sector’s infrastructure.

New road networks are under construction, modern airport facilities are in place, and plans for the establishment of railways and tramlines are on the radar.

The tourism industry in the Kurdistan Region continues to grow, and new opportunities are emerging.

Kurdistan’s young and dynamic population, coupled with rapidly increasing mobile and internet penetration rates, indicates that there are long-term growth prospects in the telecom...

Numerous large-scale construction and real-estate projects are expected to help satisfy rising demand across the entirety of the Kurdistan Region.

The KRG’s Strategic Plan for the agriculture industry aims to restore the Region to its former glory as a large-scale producer and exporter.

The KRG has pursued multiple programs to promote the appeal of private sector employment, and has secured better educational and training opportunities for the people of Kurdistan.

New oil and gas discoveries coupled with massive investment in the Region’s power sector have guaranteed that Kurdistan will maintain its position as a developing contributor to the...

An expected 8% growth rate, giant investment projects, and sound economic policies have ensured that the wind is blowing on the side of the Kurdistan Region economy.

In a very brief period of time, the Kurdistan Region has managed to achieve a rapidly developing economy, political stability, and national cohesion.

The KRG’s Ministry of Natural Resources (MNR) released a comprehensive Annual Report for 2013 in late April.

Rebaz Zedbagi details the vulnerabilities of the current education sector in the Kurdistan Region and provides possible solutions for the major issues.

The Kurdistan Region’s labor market faces a major challenge in coming years.

Energy, economic, and trade relations have generated increasing interdependence between Turkey and the Kurdistan Region.