Key Takeaways:
- POLITICS: Baghdad Hosts Arab League Summit; Sudani Picks His Electoral Coalition Partners – On May 17, Baghdad hosted the 34th summit meeting of the Arab League. The summit was characterized by limited participation of Arab heads of state, with only six of the 21 countries attending the summit (besides Iraq) represented at this level: Egypt, Qatar, Yemen, Somalia, Mauritania, and the Palestinian Authority. Iraqi commentators attributed the modest showing to hostile messages and threats by Iraqi militias targeting Syria’s new president and other Arab states, as well as simmering tensions with Kuwait and the GCC over maritime borders. The final statement issued after the meeting focused on Gaza, calling for an end to Israeli attacks and unhindered delivery of aid, stressing that Arab nations demand “an immediate end to the Israeli aggression on Gaza and an end to hostilities that are increasing the suffering of innocent civilians.” It also called for increased international support for the creation of an independent Palestinian state based on the two-state solution within the borders of June 4, 1967. The Arab leaders emphasized their rejection of any attempt to forcibly displace Palestinians from their land, saying that such action would constitute “a crime against humanity and (an act of) ethnic cleansing.” In one of the summit’s few other notable outcomes, Iraq presented a plan to create an Arab fund for reconstruction and development in conflict-affected parts of the region, pledging $40 million for Gaza and Lebanon. On May 20, a group of political parties led by Sudani’s Tayyar al-Furatain party announced they are joining forces to form a new electoral coalition to compete in the November election. The new Reconstruction and Development Coalition (E’tilaf al-E’mar wal Tanmiyah) will include the Aqd al-Watani party of PMF commission chairman Falih al-Fayyadh, the Wataniyah party of former Prime Minister Iyad Allawi, and the Ibdaa Karbala party of Karbala governor Nasif al-Khatabi. Other partners include Labor Minister Ahmed al-Asadi and former Industry Minister Mohammed al-Daraji. In other developments, on May 15, Shafaq reported that last week’s visit to Baghdad by Quds Force commander Esmail Qaani focused on recovering Syrian debt to Tehran. more…
- SECURITY & HUMANITARIAN: Military Academy Commandant Sacked After Deadly Incident – On May 21, Prime Minister Mohammed al-Sudani sacked the commandant of the Fourth Military Academy in Dhi-Qar province after an incident in which two cadets died and several others suffered injuries from sunstroke. The commandant’s deputy and other senior officers were also removed from their positions. Reports indicate that incoming cadets were left exposed to the scorching heat for several hours as academy officers conducted roll calls and assigned squads. Sudani condemned the practice as a form of abuse. In other developments, between May 15–19, security sources reported two grenade attacks targeting the offices of two lawmakers (one current, one former) in Karbala and Babylon. On May 20, Iraqi F-16 jets struck a hideout used by ISIS militants in eastern Salah ad-Din province, killing at least two ISIS members. more…
- ECONOMY & CLIMATE: KRG, Federal Oil Ministry Sign New Energy Deals with U.S., Chinese, and Local Companies – On May 19, the KRG Ministry of Natural Resources signed two oil and gas deals with U.S. companies HKN Energy and WesternZagros. HKN will develop the Miran block, estimated to hold 8 trillion cubic feet of natural gas, while WesternZagros will develop the Topkhana-Kurdamir blocks, estimated to hold another 5 trillion cubic feet of gas and 900 million barrels of oil, KRG officials said. News of the deals was met with objections from Iraq’s federal government. Iraq’s Oil Minister said the deals were “null and void,” stressing that “contracts like this should be signed by the federal government.” In a subsequent statement, the Oil Ministry said the agreements violated Iraqi court rulings, arguing that any agreements signed after a 2022 Federal Supreme Court decision concerning the legality of the KRG oil legislation are illegitimate. The KRG defended the deals, saying they are merely amendments to years-old existing agreements with the two companies and are thus recognized by Iraqi courts. Data reviewed by ISHM shows that WesternZagros has been operating in Topkhana and Kurdamir for more than a decade, while Miran was previously operated by Turkish energy company Genel before the KRG terminated the contract in 2021. On May 21, Iraq’s Oil Ministry signed a deal with China’s GeoJade and local company Hilal al-Basra to develop an integrated energy and petrochemicals project in Basra. The deal includes increasing production at the Tubah oil field from 20,000 barrels per day (bpd) to 100,000 bpd; establishing a 200,000 bpd oil refinery; and building a petrochemical plant, a fertilizer plant, a 650-megawatt conventional power plant, and a 400-megawatt solar power plant. In other developments, on May 22, the KRG Minister of Natural Resources told an energy conference in Washington that the region has delivered 11 million barrels of oil to the federal government, adding that the latter has yet to compensate the oil companies for the amount. The KRG official did not explain the timeframe or method by which the oil had been delivered, as pipeline exports from the region’s fields remain suspended. more…
For more background on most of the institutions, key actors, political parties, and locations mentioned in our takeaways or in the stories that follow, see the ISHM Reference Guide.