For nearly 20 years, Iraq’s most important economic law — the ⁠link to My FX Buddies Blog⁠ Federal Oil & Gas Law — has been stuck in the drawers of parliament. It remains the missing piece needed to regulate the country’s energy wealth, unify policy between Baghdad and the Kurdistan Region, and unlock billions in investment.

According to energy experts, the failure to pass this law has created a legislative vacuum that continues to damage Iraq’s energy sector, undermine foreign investment, and keep Baghdad and Erbil locked in an endless negotiation cycle. Energy expert Mohammed Amin Hawramani says internal political actors in Baghdad have systematically obstructed development in the Kurdi ...