KRG Minister of Natural Resources resigns

ERBIL, Kurdistan Region - The office of the Kurdistan Region Prime Minister announced on Thursday that Minister of Natural Resources Kamal Atroshi has resigned from his post over health issues, at a time of high tension between Erbil and Baghdad over the semi-autonomous Region's oil and gas laws.

“Recently the health condition of esteemed Doctor Kamal Atroshi, the Minister of Natural Resources, has not been stable, thus on a number of occasions he requested leave for treatment. Once again he is planning to go abroad for treatment and the treatment course will need more time and for that reason he … willingly offered his resignation to the head of the government,” a statement from the KRG said. The statement added that to avoid negative implications because of the minister’s absence, Prime Minister Masrour Barzani has accepted his resignation and decided that Mr Atroshi will stay as an advisor to the PM on energy matters, depending on his health condition.

Atroshi's appointment to the cabinet was confirmed by the Kurdistan Region parliament on January 6, 2021.

The KRG said that the current Minister of Electricity Kamal Muhammad Salih will cover Atroshi's position, as acting minister.

The resignation of the natural resources minister comes at a sensitive time for the KRG, as Baghdad has intensified its pressure on Erbil over its oil and gas sales.

The Iraqi Federal Supreme Court said in February that the oil and gas law of the KRG is unconstitutional.

Prime Minister Barzani and other Kurdistan Region bodies rejected the ruling. “The decision is unjust, unconstitutional, and violates the rights and constitutional authorities of the Kurdistan Region. It is unacceptable and the court had to investigate further and consider the requests of the Kurdistan Region,” the KRG responded in a statement.

Barzani reiterated the KRG's position during his visit to the World Economic Forum at Davos on Tuesday. “This is a court that was not formed and established based on the constitutional norms and ways as it should be. This is definitely a political decision made by a so-called legal institution," he stated, explaining the unwillingness of the KRG to accept the decision as it is "violating our constitutional rights.”