ENERGY TRANSITION AND GLOBAL WARMING RUSSIAN-IRAQI TRADE AND ECONOMIC COOPERATION DURING THE COVID-19 PERIOD
Despite the rapid spread of COVID-19, the lack of appropriate security measures in Iraq, a dramatic drop in oil prices, mass protests, as well as modest indicators of Russian- Iraqi bilateral trade turnover, Iraq continues to occupy a prominent place in the system of trade and economic relations between Russia and the countries of Near and Middle East. After many years of war, Iraq is facing a number of problems characteristic for all sectors of the economy, among which the most serious are the deterioration of the state of economic infrastructure, increasing dependence on oil revenues, which make up two-thirds of GDP. Iraq’s agriculture is experiencing serious difficulties in producing food for the growing population. For many years to come, the country will depend on imports to meet domestic demand for food. The pandemic was an additional serious factor in the aggravation of the economic situation in the country as a result of weak investment attractiveness of the country outside the oil industry and an poorly developed private sector. Nevertheless, Russian companies are interested in participating in the reconstruction and rehabilitation of Iraq, in particular, of such regions as Mosul, Kirkuk, Anbar. Iraq, in turn, shows interest in the employment of its citizens. After the serious destruction of several regions by ISIL militants, the number of unemployed in the country has increased. The Republic of Iraq and the Kurdish Regional Government (KRG) are interested in implementing large-scale projects with the participation of Russian companies, in particular, in the field of energy and industrial facilities. In order to manage and ensure the consistency of state interests with the commercial interests of entrepreneurs and their companies, including Russian ones, in the north of Iraq, a report on tax reform was submitted to the Kurdistan Parliament.