Key Takeaways:
- POLITICS: Iraq Welcomes PKK Decision to Disband Itself; Baghdad Prepares to Host Arab League Summit – On May 12, Iraq’s Foreign Affairs Ministry welcomed a much-anticipated decision by the Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK) to dissolve itself and end its decades-long insurgency, calling the decision “an important step towards establishing security and stability in Iraq and the whole region.” The news was also welcomed by Iraqi Kurdish leader Masoud Barzani, who expressed his “full support” for the peace process. On Monday, the PKK announced—after a party congress held in the border areas of Iraqi Kurdistan last week—that it would disband itself and end its armed struggle against Turkey. The congress and announcement come months after the PKK’s imprisoned leader, Abdullah Ocalan, had called on the group to lay down its arms and dissolve itself. Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said the move signaled the end of the “era of terrorism,” but cautioned that “what truly matters is implementation,” adding that Turkish intelligence “will closely monitor whether [disarmament] promises are kept.” The disarmament process will be carried out through cooperation between Turkey, the federal Iraqi government, and the Kurdistan Regional Government, Iraq’s Foreign Minister Fuad Hussein told reporters, without offering details. On May 15, the foreign ministers of 22 Arab countries concluded a preparatory meeting in Baghdad ahead of the Arab League summit, which will be held in the Iraqi capital on Saturday. Senior Iraqi Foreign Ministry officials told reporters that more than half of the Arab countries will be represented by heads of state, including the presidents of Egypt and Yemen, and the kings of Jordan and Bahrain. Meanwhile, the Syrian government said that President Ahmed al-Sharaa will not be attending the summit. Instead, Damascus will be represented by Foreign Minister As’ad al-Shaibani. The announcement comes after Prime Minister Sudani’s decision to invite Sharaa was met with strong objections from Iraqi Shia leaders, including Sudani’s closest allies in the Coordination Framework. In other developments, on May 14, Iran’s Quds Force commander, General Esmail Qaani, visited Baghdad for talks with Iraqi National Security Adviser Qassim al-Araji, who said the discussions focused on implementing the 2023 border security agreement between Iraq and Iran and the ongoing nuclear negotiations between the U.S. and Iran. more…
- SECURITY & HUMANITARIAN: Iraq Bans Demonstrations During Arab Summit Meeting; Prisons at Double Capacity Despite the Release of Thousands Under Amnesty Law – On May 10, Iraq’s Interior Ministry issued a temporary ban on public demonstrations lasting until May 20. The ban is meant to prevent anyone from “distracting security forces from their duties” and to ensure the success of the Arab League summit, which Baghdad is preparing to host this week. The ministry said that no permits for public demonstrations would be issued during this period, warning that violators will be arrested. Despite the ban, on May 12, a group of lawmakers affiliated with the Coordination Framework organized a protest in Basra against Syrian President Ahmed al-Sharaa’s participation in the Arab summit. Iraqi authorities said there will be no curfew in Baghdad during the summit meeting. On May 13, Iraq’s Supreme Judicial Council said that 19,381 people have been released from prisons and other detention facilities as a result of the Amnesty Law amendments that parliament passed in January. Despite the releases, the country’s prisons continue to be overcrowded, with occupancy at 200% of their planned capacity, according to Justice Minister Khalid Shwani. In other developments, on May 10, Prime Minister Sudani instructed the Defense Ministry to bring back 500 military personnel who had recently traveled to Pakistan for training, after hostilities broke out between Pakistan and India. On May 15, suspected ISIS militants killed a local man while he was herding his animals in the desert of Anbar. Earlier this week, suspected ISIS militants targeted animal herders in the area, setting fire to five civilian vehicles. more…
- ECONOMY & CLIMATE: Baghdad Offers Free Fuel for Private Power Generators; New Electricity Fee System in Kurdistan Faces Opposition – On May 11, the Iraqi government said it will provide free diesel fuel to privately-owned power generators for the months of June, July, and August. Each generator will receive 45 liters per month for each kilovolt-ampere (kVA) of generation capacity. To be eligible, generator operators must commit to supplying their customers with at least 12 hours of electricity per day at a government-set price. The government has usually provided subsidized (but not free) fuel to help operators of private generators fill power supply gaps during high-demand periods or disruptions caused by reduced gas and electricity imports from Iran. On May 14, the Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG) approved the region-wide application of a pilot electricity tariff system that aims to support efforts to provide 24/7 electricity by generating higher revenue and rationalizing consumption. The Ronaki program involves a progressive tariff structure that charges customers based on their electricity usage. According to news reports, rates will begin at IQD 72 (approximately five cents) per kilowatt hour (kWh) for the first 400 kWh, then rise incrementally, peaking at IQD 350 (approximately 25 cents) for usage exceeding 1,600 kWh. Opposition lawmakers criticized the new rates as burdensome and said they will organize a campaign to oppose them. A former member of the KRG parliament claimed the new rates will quadruple the cost of grid-supplied electricity for the average household. Meanwhile, government officials argue that customers will eventually pay less for electricity by reducing reliance on more expensive power from private generators. In other developments, on May 13, the local government in Ninewa province said that Mosul’s international airport will reopen for business on June 10 following the completion of reconstruction works. 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.