By Sawen Sulaiman –Educator & MSc in B&M

Kurdistan stands on its foundations, but at what cost?

Kurdistan requires justice, not pity. While Baghdad prepares for Iraq’s national elections, it is simultaneously creating financial problems for the Kurdistan Region.

The Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG) is trying to pursue every avenue to resolve disputes with Baghdad, especially regarding the persistent issues of salary payment to citizens of the Kurdistan Region. Baghdad consistently seeks to politicise these issues, and observers recognise this as fundamentally political rather than an administrative challenge.

The Kurdish people find themselves caught in circumstances which is out of their control. Every delay in salary, blocked budget allocation, and Baghdad’s failure to honour its commitments have progressively eroded Kurdish citizens' trust in the federal government. As a result, the Kurdistan Region people view Baghdad’s treatment of Kurdistan as a form of deliberate manipulation.

In spite of these issues and challenges. Kurdistan Region continues to progress. Less than a year ago, an ambitious commitment was made to solve the Erbil water crisis for the next 30 years. Today, that promise nears completion through a comprehensive clean water and sanitation project providing 24-hour service to Erbil neighbourhoods.

For a region that frequently must accomplish more with less, this represents an unprecedented achievement. On the other hand, the Kurdistan region now serves more than two million beneficiaries through an uninterrupted electricity supply, which is thanks to the KRG’s (Runaki) initiative project. As we can see, economic infrastructure continues to improve, and the foreign investors, in spite of all obstacles, maintain their optimism for the Kurdistan Region’s future remains strong. At the same time, nations with foreign investment interests are demanding recognition of the Kurdistan region’s constitutional rights, which also contributes to regional stability.

Those issues and challenges are not just about oil revenues and budget allocations, but about dignity. The citizens deserve their rightful salaries as part of their constitutional right to self-governance, which has been formally recognised for the Kurdistan region. And Kurdish people should not be forced to request their legitimate rights as supplicants.

Kurdistan’s success poses no threat to Iraq; it represents a valuable contribution. If Baghdad genuinely seeks a stable democratic future, it must treat the Kurdistan Region fairly and refrain from discriminatory treatment compared to the rest of Iraqi regions, especially in financial entitlements.

The people of Kurdistan have been tired, yet they remain steadfast in their pursuit of their legitimate rights. This story deserves international attention and their commitments to simultaneity acting as the strongest testament to their commitment and efforts toward peaceful collaboration.