US envoy discusses expanding ‘cooperation’ with KRG natural minister

ERBIL (Kurdistan 24) – The newly inaugurated US Consul General Mark Stroh on Monday discussed expanding “cooperation” with the Kurdistan Regional Government's (KRG) Ministry of Natural Resources.

The US envoy met with the acting Minister of Natural Resources Kamal Mohammed in Erbil, where they discussed energy cooperation, particularly in renewables. 

“We discussed areas to expand cooperation on energy, particularly renewables, in support of a resilient #Kurdistan_Region in #Iraq,” the US Consulate General in Erbil announced in a post on Monday.

A good conversation with Minister of Electricity / Acting Minister of Natural Resources Kamal Mohammad Salih Khalil. We discussed areas to expand cooperation on energy, particularly renewables, in support of a resilient #Kurdistan_Region in #Iraq. An honor to meet you, Minister! pic.twitter.com/9TfhwL8Eh4

— U.S. Consulate General Erbil (@USCGERBIL) August 28, 2023

Following the stoppage of the Kurdistan Region’s oil exports through Turkey’s Ceyhan port at the request of Baghdad, the US has called on both Baghdad and Ankara to resume exports.

Despite several rounds of negotiations, the Kurdish oil exports have not yet resumed.

Erbil and Baghdad on April 4 reached an agreement that would allow the marketing of Kurdish oil through the Iraqi state-owned SOMO.

A number of American companies are operating in the Kurdistan Region’s energy sector, particularly in the oil and gas businesses.

In Sept. 2021, the US financed $250 million for the expansion of the Khor Mor gas plant in the Kurdistan Region’s Chamchamal district.

HKN Energy Ltd. is a US company that has oil exploration and production operations in the Kurdistan Region. It is produced from seven wells through three production facilities in two separate fields.