KRG Spokesperson: Tripartite Oil Agreement with Baghdad to Be Signed Soon
Hawramani confirmed that the three parties have reached a consensus after extensive negotiations. “The signing of the agreement is imminent, and if nothing unforeseen occurs, it will definitely be signed tomorrow,” he told Kurdistan24.
ERBIL (Kurdistan24) – Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG) spokesperson Peshawa Hawramani announced on Sunday that a long-anticipated agreement between the KRG, the Iraqi federal government, and oil production companies is expected to be signed imminently.
Hawramani confirmed that the three parties have reached a consensus after extensive negotiations. “The signing of the agreement is imminent, and if nothing unforeseen occurs, it will definitely be signed tomorrow,” he told Kurdistan24.
The spokesperson explained that the deal is designed to remove existing barriers related to public sector salary payments in the Kurdistan Region. He stressed that, under the terms of the agreement, the federal government must uphold its responsibility to disburse salaries to employees in the Region.
For years, the question of oil revenue sharing has been a major point of contention between Erbil and Baghdad. The Kurdistan Region, which has developed its own independent oil export infrastructure through a pipeline to Turkey, has frequently clashed with the federal government over control of revenues and budget entitlements.
In March 2023, the International Chamber of Commerce ruled in favor of Baghdad in an arbitration case against Turkey, leading to the suspension of Kurdish oil exports through the Ceyhan pipeline. The halt deprived the Kurdistan Region of a critical source of income and intensified the region’s reliance on federal budget transfers.
The Iraqi parliament later approved a federal budget law obligating the KRG to hand over a portion of its oil revenues in exchange for Baghdad covering public sector salaries. However, disputes over implementation and auditing procedures have repeatedly delayed payments, sparking protests from unpaid civil servants in the Region.
Earlier on Sunday, a source at the Khurmala oil field told Kurdistan24 that the Kurdistan oil pipeline from Khurmala to Kawergosk underwent testing through pipeline cleaning, pump maintenance, and a comprehensive review of oil storage tanks as part of technical preparations.
All arrangements are now in place for oil exports through the pipeline network to Turkey’s Ceyhan port, pending the outcome of a key tripartite meeting between the KRG's Ministry of Natural Resources, Iraq’s federal Oil Ministry, and oil-producing companies, expected to take place before Tuesday.
Read More: Kurdistan Oil Exports Poised for Resumption Pending Tripartite Agreement
The pending tripartite agreement with oil companies is seen as a breakthrough that could stabilize financial relations, ensure uninterrupted salary disbursements, and pave the way for the resumption of Kurdish oil exports under a framework acceptable to all sides.
