Opening Panel; Monday, 31 October 2022
(Venue: Erbil Citadel)
16:00 Arrival at the Citadel.
16:15 Free and guided tours around the Citadel.
17:30: Registration & Refreshment
18:00 Session 1: Prevention of Violent Extremism in the Middle East
- Morten Boas, Norwegian Institute of International Affairs (Moderator)
- Kamaran Palani, The Middle East Research Institute (MERI)
- Kari Osland, Norwegian Institute of International Affairs
- Amjed Rasheed, Open Think Tank, Duhok
- Adam Ravnkilde, Senior Strategic Advisor, EU Advisory Mission in Iraq
19:30 Buffet Dinner
21:00 End of Pre-Forum Day
* * *
Day 1: Tuesday, 1 November 2022
(Venue: Rotana Hotel)
08:00 Registration
08:55 Welcome and Introduction
09:00 Opening Remarks
09:15 Session 2: Crystal-Gazing the Middle East: Power Dynamics & Power.
- Steve Bitner, The Bureau of Near Eastern Affairs, Department of State, USA
- Randa Slim, Middle East Institute, USA
- Vali Nasr, SAIS, Johns Hopkins University, USA
- Lukman Faily, Iraqi Ambassador to Germany (Moderator)
10:30 Coffee Break
11:00 Session 3: Regional Actors in Iraq’s Neighbourhood: Time to Desecuritise Relations.
- Elbrus Kutrashev, Russian Ambassador to Iraq
- Kayhan Barzegar, Center for Middle East Strategic Studies, Tehran, Iran
- Lahib Higel, International Crisis Group (Moderator)
12:00 Switch Panels
12:10 Session 4: The Challenge of Governance and Reform in Iraq and the KRI.
- Jeanine Hennis-Plasschaert, Special Representative of the Secretary General, UN
- Qubad Talabani, Deputy Prime Minister, Kurdistan Regional Government
- Talar Mumtaz Noore, Media & Civil Society (Moderator)
13:10 Lunch
14:15 Session 5: State-Building in Iraq: Tackling Iraq’s fragility and regaining its sovereignty.
- Adnan Al-Zurfi, Leader of Iraqi Wafa Movement
- Mohammed Salim Al-Ghabban, Fatih Coalition
- Jafar Eminki, Kurdistan Democratic Party
- Zainab Rabee, Journalist and Anchor (Moderator)
15:30 Tea Break
16:00 Session 6: Reforming Iraq’s Financial System: The Role of the Government and the Private Sector.
- Jamal Kocher, Member of the Finance Committee, CoR, Iraq
- Mohammed Al-Handhal, Iraqi Private Banks League
- Shwan Ibrahim Taha, CEO, Rabee Securities, Iraq
- Ava Nadir, Iraqi Communication and Media Commission (Moderator)
17:15 Switch Panels
17:25 Session 7: The KRG Looking Forward: Strategies, Challenges and Opportunities.
- Masrour Barzani, Prime Minister, Kurdistan Regional Government
- Randa Slim, Middle East Institute, USA
18:25 Closing Remarks
18:30 End of Day 1
* * *
Day 2: Wednesday, 2 November 2022
08:00 Registration
09:00 Introduction
09:15 Session 8: Iraq’s Political System: Addressing Structural & Functional Weakness.
- Abdul-Halim Al-Zuheri, Politician and Religious Leader
- Ameer Al-Kinani, Advisor to the Iraqi President
- Sadi Pira, Patriotic Union of Kurdistan
- Mohammed Husam Al-Husaini, Al-Hikma Movement
- Noor Al-Majid, Journalist and Anchor (Moderator)
10:45 Coffee Break
11:15 Session 9: Iraq’s Multi-Layered Crises: The International Partners’ Priorities and Perspectives.
- Alina Romanowski, US Ambassador to Iraq
- Maurizio Greganti, Italian Ambassador to Iraq
- Ville Varjola, European Union Ambassador to Iraq
- Tanya Gilli-Khaylani, Former Member of Parliament, Iraq (Moderator)
12:30 Lunch
14:00 Session 10: Yezidis and Christians – Let us not Fail Them.
- Meer Hazim Tahsin, Prince of Yezidis, President of Higher Spiritual Board of Yezidis
- Ali Ilyas Haji Nasir, Baba Sheikh, Higher Spiritual Board of Yezidis
- Najeeb Mikhaeel Moussa, Chaldean Archbishop of Mosul & Aqra
- Mayan Khairy Saeed Beg, Khatoon of Yezidis
- Najim Al-Jubouri, Governor of Nineveh
- Sarhang Hamaseed, United States Institute of Peace (Moderator)
15:30 Panel Switch
15:40 Session 11: Making Iraq Work for All
- Nechirvan Barzani, President of Kurdistan Region of Iraq
- Farhad Alaaldin, Chairman, Iraq Advisory Council
17:00 Closing Remarks
17:15 Refreshment and Networking
18:00 End of MERI Forum 2022