Abyei Region: A Thoughtprovoking Case Study for the Future of Kirkuk

Abyei region, which has long been an important point of tension between Sudan and South Sudan, with its ethnic diversity, historical experience and rich hydrocarbon reserves, have parallels with the case of Kirkuk and thus deserves a closer investigation. Abyei, with the international community’s involvement in the settlement of the crisis, innovative solution to the question of how to share hydrocarbon revenues, and its own regional governing mechanism, might provide some insight for the future of Kirkuk. Thus, in this policy brief, historical background and dynamics regarding the Abyei case, which has not been investigated in detail so far in the related literature, will be presented in detail, which will be followed by a brief discussion about what lessons can be drawn from the process up to the settlement and the settlement itself.