The redefinition of regional security : the rise of the kri as a non-dispensable partner

الملخص EN

Recent developments in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA), such as the Arab Spring and the emergence of ISIS, have increased insecurity and political instability in the region.

Apropos the autonomous Kurdistan Region of Iraq (KRI), the area’s active participation in the war against ISIS has repositioned the KRI as a valuable actor and raised its status internationally.

The assertive diplomacy on both the regional and global stage practiced by the KRI has reshaped the region by locating it in a key position in the war on terror.

Furthermore, international support for the KRI in its fight against ISIS has further pushed its ambition toward independent statehood.

The indigenization of KRI diplomacy in the war on ISIS and the role played by the KRI as covered by the media since August 2014 has solidified its regional and international position.

Furthermore, the decision of the independence referendum and its outcomes have seemingly provided a more comfortable position for the KRI to balance power in the region.