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Akbar Novruz

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The Iraqi province of Kirkuk's decision to join the Union of Municipalities of the Turkic World (TDBB) has triggered political debate, with local officials divided over its potential benefits and implications, AzerNEWS reports.

Kirkuk's accession to the organization was announced following Governor Muhammad Seman Agha's visit to Ankara. The TDBB brings together municipalities from Turkic-speaking countries and regions to promote cooperation in infrastructure, urban development, environmental protection, tourism, culture, human resources, and investment.

While some officials welcomed the move as an opportunity to attract investment and strengthen development, others called for greater transparency regarding the agreements reached during the visit.

Deputy Chairman of the Kirkuk Provincial Council Nashat Shahvaiz said the council had not yet received details of the agreements signed in Ankara and therefore could not assess their potential impact.

He nevertheless expressed support for initiatives capable of attracting foreign investment and creating jobs, provided their objectives and obligations are clearly defined, and urged the governor to brief the provincial council upon his return.

Raad Saleh, chairman of the State Council's Finance, Economy, Trade and Investment Committee, said the visit formed part of Iraq's broader efforts to expand cooperation with Türkiye across multiple sectors.

"The main criterion is not the signing of agreements, but their practical implementation and their transformation into projects that serve the interests of the province," Saleh said, adding that lawmakers would review the outcomes as part of their oversight responsibilities.

The Kurdistan Democratic Party (KDP), however, linked the issue to the unresolved constitutional status of Kirkuk.

KDP representative Kawa Ahmed Fatallah argued that the province's future should be determined solely under Article 140 of Iraq's Constitution, which provides for normalization measures, a population census, and a referendum on whether Kirkuk should join the Kurdistan Region or remain under the authority of the federal government in Baghdad.

Fatallah said unresolved issues stemming from the Arabization policies of the former Baath regime—including land confiscations, forced displacement, and the Anfal campaign against the Kurds—must first be addressed through constitutional and legal mechanisms.

"Decisions regarding Kirkuk that are made outside the province and without considering the will of its residents will not bring stability," he said, calling for the restoration of displaced communities' rights and the return of the province's administrative boundaries to their pre-1970s configuration.

Kirkuk remains one of Iraq's most politically and ethnically sensitive provinces. According to the 2024 census, it is home to approximately 1.9 million people, including Kurds, Turkmen, Arabs, Chaldeans, Assyrians, and other communities.

While Kurdish parties continue to advocate implementing Article 140 as the constitutional mechanism for determining Kirkuk's status, Turkmen groups regard the province as the historical center of their community, and many Arab political forces oppose its possible incorporation into the Kurdistan Region.