A year after an ill-fated indepe­ndence refere­ndum that Baghda­d deemed illega­lSULAIMANIYAH, IRAQ: The oil-rich Iraqi region of Kurdistan is struggling to rebuild its economy, a year after an ill-fated independence referendum that Baghdad deemed illegal. Bakawan said the proportion of people living in poverty in Iraqi Kurdistan rose to 15 percent. But even before that controversial vote, Iraqi Kurdistan was suffering economic hardship. According to official figures, 87 percent of households across Iraqi Kurdistan – home to around six million people – eke out a living on less than $850 per month. But according to a recent UN report, more than 20 percent of unemployed Iraqi Kurds said they have lost hope of finding a job.

Source: The Express Tribune September 29, 2018 06:33 UTC