by Toby Bell
Our plane from Istanbul descends, banking to the right. Through the window, I catch glimpses of a built-up city with brightly lit tower blocks and roads lined with Bentleys and Land Cruisers.
On the ground, I found upscale restaurants bordering ornamental fountains and landscaped ponds and five lane highways. In winter, there’s skiing with cable cars; in summer, millions of tourists flock to gorges and picnic spots. The wealth is unmistakable.
The UK maintains close ties. The University of London offers accredited degrees through the British International University set in a striking modern campus. Among them: a fully GMC-recognised medical degree. We’re shown a touchscreen anatomy table that wouldn’t look out of place in a top London hospital.
A High Council for Women is in place, as is a 30% quota for women in its parliament and officials brief us on democratic reforms. Religious diversity is respected under a relatively liberal and pluralistic political system.
At this point, you might think I’m describing Amman or another gulf city. But I’m not. This is Erbil—the capital of the Kurdistan Region of Iraq (KRI). I visited recently as part of a parliamentary delegation, accompanying John Slinger MP, Chair of the APPG for the Kurdistan Region in Iraq, whom I work for.
Had I opened with “Iraq” it might have conjured images of war and hardship. And yes, this region has seen its fair share of conflict, the Peshmerga, a fierce Kurdish army, drove back ISIS from its borders from 2014 to 2017. However, the contrast between perception and reality is stark and the KRI of today tells a far more complex story.
Despite the prosperity on display, problems run deep. Chief of all – the region’s relationship with Baghdad. The federal government has withheld money for over a decade for public sector salaries, and the region has been sidelined in major oil deals, including contracts with BP—choking its economy and undermining its autonomy.
Internally, the entrenched rivalry between the two main political parties—the Kurdistan Democratic Party (KDP) and the Patriotic Union of Kurdistan (PUK)—continues to shape nearly every aspect of society. This clan-like division permeates every aspect of life and corruption is recurring theme in conversations we have. This does little to help at a time when businesses and investors are returning to a safer, more stable, if more corrupt Baghdad and the large Iraqi market.
The regional cabinet has yet to be finalised. We were told—vaguely but optimistically—that it will happen “in the next few weeks” or “four to six weeks.” The main winner, the KDP will keep key roles including the Prime Minister. But disillusionment is growing. The rise of the “New Generation” party is a clear signal—its leader told us he narrowly survived an assassination attempt.
Beyond Iraq, the KRI is an oasis of stability in what Kurdish leaders always say is ‘a tough neighbourhood’. Iran is an ever-present force, particularly through economic and political ties to factions and militias within Iraq and even sent missile strikes to Erbil. Syria’s Kurdish region remains vulnerable with Turkish forces menacing them there. The dissolution of the PKK in Turkey holds out hope for all Kurds in four different countries
Amid all this, our delegation was enthusiastically welcomed. It’s clear the UK is respected here. But I got the sense that we’re not as good a friend as we could and should be. An advisor to the President pointed to a lack of UK involvement, especially when compared to the USA and Germany, or France, whose diplomatic charm is on full display. President Nechirvan Barzani has visited Emmanuel Macron 13 times. He was en route to Paris as our trip concluded. Keir Starmer should do the same, a state visit to the UK by the PM or president would send a powerful message.
Supporting KRI isn’t just a moral imperative, but it is a strategic interest. While being tolerant and pluralistic it is surrounded by malign actors and therefore vulnerable to internal tensions. This interest starts at home with better understanding by Parliament, the Press and the Public that could boost tourism, business investment and the image of the region.
Toby Bell is advisor to John Slinger MP
Tags: APPG on Kurdistan, Iraq, John Slinger, Kurdistan, Toby Bell
