How can Iraq build a more resilient and sustainable economy amid ongoing fiscal pressures, political uncertainty, and regional volatility?
The Twelfth Edition of the Iraq Economic Review explores this question through targeted analyses and discussions that highlight the country’s most urgent economic challenges. A central focus of this edition is Iraq’s ongoing gas flaring crisis, where flare volumes continue to rise despite expanded investments in gas capture and repeated promises to curb waste. The review outlines the technical and institutional barriers that have limited progress, while noting emerging opportunities for long-term energy reform. The review also highlights the unemployment crisis in the Kurdistan Region, drawing on insights from a roundtable in Erbil. Years of fiscal strain, limited public hiring, and political influence have left many young graduates without opportunities. The discussion underscored the need to strengthen the private sector, improve coordination among ministries, and expand vocational and SME support to revitalize the labor market. The edition also reviews Mosul’s urban planning hurdles, shaped by land conflicts and fragmented oversight. Still, the discussion identifies realistic pathways for improvement through targeted development and better coordination. The issue concludes with an analysis of the Iraq–Türkiye Pipeline (ITP) following the resumption of northern oil exports. It underscores the pipeline’s strategic importance for Iraq’s energy security, especially as the country seeks alternatives to its vulnerable Gulf export routes amid regional tensions.
Contribution includes the following:
- Ahmed Tabaqchali - Iraq's Gas Flaring Paradoxes: Economic and Technical Obstacles
- H.E. Kwestan Mohamad Abdulla - Interview: Unemployment in the Kurdistan Region
- Sanger Youssif Salih - A Roadmap Toward Economic Recovery in Erbil and the Kurdistan Region
- Firas Saleh - Spotlight on Mosul: Pathways to Economic Recovery
- Yesar Al-Maleki - Rebuilding Resilience: The ITP's Role in Iraq’s Oil Export Security
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