A Small Country for More Men. Iraqi Kurdistan and the Recent Refugee Inflows

In my presentation I intend to deal with the recent migratory tendencies toward the Kurdish Regional Government of Iraq (KRG, Erbil). The topic is often neglected by the mass debates of the 2015–2016 migration crises in Europe. The latest developments in the Iraqi-Syrian crisis zone (sectarian war, Syrian crisis, the emergence of ISIS) forced people of different ethnic and religious background to seek shelter in Iraqi Kurdistan. As a consequence, approximately 1.5 million Arab people have fled to this relatively peaceful part of Iraq causing huge demographic and economic burden for a de-facto autonomous territory with a population of around 5 million. Since 85% of the newcomers are from Iraq, it is legally an uncertain question whether they are IDPs within Iraq or refugees of another country (coming from territories under the control of Baghdad toward territories under the authority of Erbil). This legal question is further complicated by the independence referendum of Iraqi Kurdistan held on 24 September 2017. In this complex political and security environment the question is how the KRG projects itself as a state of outstanding humanitarian efforts and how this idea is used for political goals? How the situation between the local Kurds and their Arab guests can be characterized? And in general, what is the status of these displaced people in Iraqi Kurdistan? From a European perspective, it is also relevant to see how the European states are committed to help Erbil in its effort to manage this mass inflow of people.