Pre-Forum: Monday, 25 October 2021
16:00 Registration Open. Covid Rapid Test is available and its certificate is valid for the rest of the conference (Free of charge).
18:00 Reception (For registrants only).
Day 1: Tuesday, 26 October 2021
08:00 Registration & Covid Test
10:00 Welcome and Introduction
10:15 MERI’s statement: Dlawer Ala’Aldeen, President of MERI
- Ameer Al-Kinani, The Political Commission of the Sadrist Movement
- Jafar Eminki, Kurdistan Democratic Party
- Muzahim Al-Khayat, Newly Elected Member of Parliament, Taqadum Coalition
- Khalid Shwani, Patriotic Union of Kurdistan
- Hiwa Othman, Journalist (Moderator)
12:30 Lunch
14:00 Session 2: Global Support for Stability and State-Building in Iraq: Challenges and Opportunities
- Matthew H. Tueller, US Ambassador to Iraq
- Martin Jaeger, German Ambassador to Iraq
- Ulric Shannon, Canadian Ambassador to Iraq
- Sarhang Hamasaeed, United States Institute of Peace, USA.
- Farhad Alaaldin, Chairman of Iraq Advisory Council (Moderator)
15:15 Break
16:15 Session 3: Iraq and Kurdistan Region in a Complex Neighbourhood.
- Nechirvan Barzani, President of Kurdistan Region of Iraq
- Bilal Wahab, The Washington Institute for Near East Policy (Moderator)
17:15 Final Words
17:30 End of Day 1
* * *
Day 2: Wednesday, 27 October 2021
08:00 Registration and Covid Test (for new attendants)
09:00 Session 4: Regional Actors in Iraq’s Neighbourhood: Visions for Stabilisation and Forging a Workable Regional Order.
- Ali Reza Guney, Turkey’s Ambassador to Iraq.
- Seyed Kazim Sajjadpour, Advisor to the Foreign Minister and former Director of the Institute for Political & International Studies, Iran.
- Kamaran Palani, The Middle East Research Institute (Moderator)
10:30 Break
11:00 Session 5: Global Actors in Iraq’s Neighbourhood: Policies & Long Term Strategies.
- Jennifer Gavito, Deputy Assistant Secretary for Iran and Iraq, USA
- Elbrus Kutrashev, Russian Ambassador to Iraq
- Adil Bakawan, Director of the French Center for Research on Iraq (CFRI).
- Tanya Gilli-Khaylani, Former Member of Iraqi Parliament (Moderator)
12:30 Lunch
14:00 Session 6: The Role of the Banking Sector in the Economic Recovery.
- Ammar Hamad Khalaf, Deputy Governor of Central Bank, Iraq
- Wadeea Al-Handhal, Chairman, Iraqi Private Banks League.
- Hamela Gardi, President, Region Trade Bank for Investment and Finance.
- Ahmed Tabaqcheli, Chief Strategist Asia Frontier Capital Iraq Fund
15:45 Break
16:30 Session 7: The KRG looking forward: Strategies, Challenges and Opportunities.
- Masrour Barzani, Prime Minister, Kurdistan Regional Government
-
Amberin Zaman, Journalist, Al Monitor, (Moderator)
17:30 Concluding Remarks
17:45 End of MERI Forum 2021