Roundtable “Iraq’s Oil and Gas Sector from Regional Perspective”
Date of publication: May 21, 2024
Prague Centre for Middle East Relations (PCMR) of CEVRO organized a closed roundtable “Iraq’s Oil and Gas Sector from a Regional Perspective: Prospects and Setback” with Mohammed Hussein, Senior Analyst at Iraqi Oil Report and Senior Expert in the Iraqi Economists Network. The event took place on May 6, 2024, at CEVRO.
The debate was moderated by Tomáš Kaválek, Director of Prague Centre for Middle East Relations (PCMR).
The roundtable was held under the Chatham House Rules.
Iraq remains the key piece in the regional and global energy security puzzle. External actors, including Iran, Turkey, the Gulf countries, the US, the EU countries, Russia, and China, make inroads not only in Iraqi politics but also in its oil and gas sector. During our discussion, we touched upon pressing issues, such as the question of developing the Iraqi gas sector with the prospect of exporting abroad, including to Europe.
Moreover, we assessed the nature of Iranian, Russian and Chinese influence in the Iraqi oil and gas sector. We also analyzed the nature of entanglement of various armed groups in the Iraqi oil and gas sector and their hand in ongoing projects, oil extraction, and (illicit) trade. Finally, we discussed the status of existing and planned strategic pipeline projects in Iraq.
Speaker’s Bio
Mohammed Hussein is a tenured researcher at Iraq Oil Report and a senior expert in the Iraqi Economists Network. Originally from the Kurdistan Region of Iraq, Mohammed earned hisMaster’ss Degree in the Economics of Public Policy from the Barcelona School of Economics. His research primarily focuses onIraq’ss energy sector and political economy.
Mohammed’s papers and articles have been published in prominent magazines, journals, and think tank blogs in economics and political science. His work has been published by notable platforms such as Foreign Affairs, Foreign Policy, The Washington Institute for Near East Policy, Combat Terrorism Exchange, The Belfer Center for Science and International Affairs, LSE’s Middle East Center, Iraq Oil Report, and the Iraqi Economists Network. Also, Mohammed has produced research reports for UN organizations, the International Crisis Group, the German Institute for Development Evaluation (DEval), the Nordic Consulting Group, and Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ), as well as for the Iraqi Federal Government and the Kurdistan Regional Government.