Could the American-Kurdish oil deal bring stability to the region?
August 23, 2020, 6:07 am

Could the American-Kurdish oil deal bring stability to the region?

zara saleh

The United States Treasury Department Office of Foreign Assets Control has approved the first-ever deal for an American firm to develop oil fields and export crude oil in northeast Syria. The contract has been signed between a little-known American firm, Delta Crescent Energy, and the US-backed Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF), as a most reliable U.S. partner in the battle against the so-called Islamic State.

During a news conference at the State Department in Washington, August 5, the U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo who was asked by U.S. Sen. Lindsey Graham, has said that the US has approved the oil deal to modernise the oil fields in northeast Syria. After a part of American troops has been withdrawn from northeast Syria that control by Kurdish forces in October 2019, US President Donald Trump has declared that he will keep its troop to secure the oil fields.

By giving this exceptional approval to the Delta Crescent Energy, the US purpose is to secure the oil fields first and then to isolate the Assad regime and to cut him out of benefiting from legal energy production in the northeast Syria. Moreover, this license will allow also the American company to work freely in Syria as the Treasury Department has exempting the Delta Crescent Energy from the Caesar sanctions against Assad's regime.

Arguably, the American deal has angered Russian as the main competitor to win the oil deal in the areas led by Kurdish forces. Moscow has criticized the US deal and described the deal as an American attempt that continues to "plunder Syria's natural resources". Meanwhile, the Syrian government has described as the deal as the US means to steal Syria's oil and the Syrian Foreign Minister Walid Al-Mualim has said "the agreement is null and void and has no legal basis". Turkey, which stands always against Kurdish rights and ambition, has also criticised the deal as breaking the international law and "violating territorial integrity, unity and sovereignty of Syria". Whereas, Iran as the other Russia and Turkey's ally in Astana Agreement, has declared that the deal is "a violation of Syrian sovereignty”.

In contrast to the Russian and Assad's regime reactions, the US company's shared founders had confirmed the goal of the that will focus on developing and upgrading about 60% of the Syrian oil fields that now under the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF). Added to that the Delta Crescent Energy procedure will engage in several aspects of energy development, transportation, marketing, refining, and exploration in order to develop and redevelop the infrastructure in the region and to help the people in the region get their products into the international market. This upcoming plan has been confirmed by the founders of the American company as well.

Consequently, the American investment in oil fields in northeast Syria, definitely, will be a great opportunity to stabilise the region and bringing economic and political security to the northeast Syrian components, that can improve the people’s live. Furthermore, the Syrian Kurds with the other components in the region that led by the Kurdish administration such as Syriac and Arab, are welcoming the oil deal because for the decades the Kurdish region has been suffered from the Assad's regime marginalised policies.

Even before the Syrian conflict, nobody of the Syrian people has benefited from the oil production, which was around 400,000 barrels of oil per day, for more than five decades. Whereas the whole budget that comes from the oil production was transferred to the Assad's family account directly, and Syrian people were not allowed even to ask about it. Otherwise, they will be under the risk of arrest or vanishing.

As a result, by having the US oil companies involved in developing the oil fields in Syria will be a great factor for stability of the region and will strengthen the American relation with its main ally the Kurds, and can prevent any Turkish attacks or intervention again as had happened in October 2019 after the US withdraw part of its troops from Syria.

Zara Saleh

The Kurdish hope and struggle after 100 years of the Treaty of Sevres The American-Russian battle in northeast Syria

BENEFIT, the Kingdom’s innovator and leading company in Fintech and electronic financial transactions service, has announced its sponsorship of the “Innovation and Sustainable Technology Solutions Competition (GU - IST Solutions), hosted by Gulf University at its main campus.
This strategic sponsorship reflects BENEFIT’s active role in advancing technological innovation and fostering sustainable solutions to future challenges. It also seeks to empower Bahraini youth by enhancing their skills, capabilities, and competitiveness in innovation and solution development—contributing meaningfully to the broader goals of sustainable development across all sectors.
As part of BENEFIT’s active involvement in the competition, the company has announced that Hanan Abdulla Hasan, Senior Manager of Public Relations and Communication, will serve on the competition’s supervisory committee. Her upcoming participation reflects BENEFIT’s forward-looking commitment to championing academic and professional excellence.
Commenting on the occasion, Hanan Abdulla Hasan, Senior Manager of Public Relations and Communication at BENEFIT, said, “We are privileged to support this pioneering initiative, which aligns seamlessly with BENEFIT’s enduring commitment to fostering innovation and nurturing the potential of Bahrain’s youth. Our participation is rooted in a deep sense of social responsibility and a firm belief in the pivotal role of innovation in shaping a sustainable future. Through such platforms, we seek to empower the next generation with the knowledge, skills, and foresight required to develop impactful solutions that address future challenges, in line with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals 2030.”
Dr. Aseel Al Ayash Dean of the College of Engineering in Gulf University commented, “We extend our sincere gratitude to BENEFIT for their generous sponsorship and support of the Innovation and Sustainable Technology Solutions Competition. This contribution plays an instrumental role in helping us achieve the strategic goals of this initiative, namely, cultivating a culture of innovation and sustainability, encouraging efforts that address the imperatives of sustainable development, and enhancing the practical and professional capabilities of our students and participants.”
The event will bring together a diverse spectrum of participants, including secondary school students, university undergraduates, engineers, industry professionals, entrepreneurs, academic researchers, and subject matter experts representing a wide range of disciplines.
The competition seeks to inspire participants to develop and present innovative, sustainable technologies aimed at addressing pressing environmental, social, and economic challenges. It encourages the formulation of business models that integrate advanced technological solutions with core principles of sustainability. Moreover, it serves as a platform for emerging leaders, entrepreneurs, and innovators to contribute to the advancement of the Sustainable Development Goals, promote the ethos of responsible technology, and demonstrate its transformative potential across various sectors.
Attendees will have the opportunity to view a series of project presentations submitted by participants, covering diverse areas such as eco-friendly product design, smart and sustainable innovations, renewable energy technologies, water conservation and management, waste minimisation and recycling, green architectural solutions, and sustainable transportation systems. Outstanding projects will be formally recognised and awarded at the conclusion of the event.