Day 1: Tuesday, 29 October 2024
Livestream – Click here to watch Live
08:00 Registration
9:00 Welcome & Introduction
09:20 MERI’s Opening
- Dlawer Ala’Aldeen, President of MERI
09:45 S1: Iraq and its International Partners: Converging Priorities & Enhancing Partnership
- Janet Alberda, The Netherlands Ambassador to Iraq
- Andrea Nasi, The Ambassador to Iraq
- Thomas Seiler, Head of the European Union Delegation in Iraq
- Zainab Rabee, Journalist (Moderator)
10:45 Panel Switch
10:55 S2: Evolution of the US-Iraq 360-Degree Relationship
- Alina Romanowski, United States Ambassador to Iraq
- Hiwa Osman, Journalist, +964 Media (Moderator)
11:25 Coffee Break
11:50 S3: Making Iraq investable: Challenges and Opportunities
- Mohammed Darraji, Advisor to the Prime Minister of Iraq for Technical
- Mohammed Abdraba, Member of Parliament and Chairman of the Energy Committee
- Abdulla Al-Qadi, Executive Director, Exploration & Production, Crescent Petroleum
- Ghulam Mohammad Isaczai, UN Resident Coordinator for Humanitarian and Development Affairs for Iraq (Moderator)
12:50 Lunch Break
14:00 S4: Fragility of Iraq’s Political System: Where is the exit?
- Yousif Goran, Patriotic Union of Kurdistan
- Faris Al-Faris, Al-Sadara Faction
- Fudhil Farajallah, Dawa Party
- Stam Saeed, Change Movement
- Noor Al-Majid, Journalist (Moderator)
15:10 Tea Break
15:45 S5: The Kurdistan Region: Nation-building and State-Building
- Masrour Barzani, Prime Minister, Kurdistan Regional Government
- Dlawer Ala’Aldeen, President of MERI (Moderator)
16:30 Panel Switch
16:40 S5: Iraq: State-Building Amidst the Evolving Political Dynamics (A)
- Ammar Al-Hakim, Leader, Al-Hikma Movement
- Tariq Jawhar Sarmami, Academic (Moderator)
17:10 Panel Switch
17:20 S6: Iraq: State-Building Amidst the Evolving Political Dynamics (B)
- Muthanna Al-Samarrai, Leader, Iraqi Al-Azim Alliance
- Abdulaziz Younis Aljarba, Academic (Moderator)
17:50 End of Day One
Day 2: Wednesday, 30 October 2024
9:00 Welcome
09:30 S8: The Future of Syria: Prospects for Peace and Recovery
Sub-panel S8A
- Bader Jamous, President of the Syrian Negotiation Commission
- Patrick Haenni, Advisor, Humanitarian Dialogue Centre (Moderator)
Sub-panel S8B
- Amjad Othman, Vice President, The Syrian Democratic Council
- Patrick Haenni, Advisor, Humanitarian Dialogue Centre (Moderator)
Sub-panel S8C
- Zozan Alloush, Independent Development and Political Consultant
- Ammar Kahf, Executive Director of Omran Center for Strategic Studies
- Ahmad Mhidi, Advisor, Humanitarian Dialogue Centre, Syria
- Patrick Haenni, Advisor, Humanitarian Dialogue Centre (Moderator)
11:00 Break
11:25 S10: Beyond Conflicts: Building Peace and Integrating Nations in the Levant and Iraq
- Said Baha Al Masri, Former Cabinet Minister, Jordan
- Lukman Faily, The Iraqi Ambassador to Germany
- Ammar Kahf, Executive Director of Omran Center for Strategic Studies
- Hiwa Osman, Journalist, +964 Media (Moderator)
12:25 Panel Switch
12:35 The Evolving Political Dynamics in the Kurdistan Region: What to Expect over the next Four Years?
- Bafel Talabani, Leader, Patriotic Union of Kurdistan
- Dlawer Ala’Aldeen, President of MERI (Moderator)
13:20 Lunch Break
14:30 S11: Sinjar: Reconstruction, Recovery and Return of the Displaced
Sub-panel S11A
- Myan Khairi Saeed Beg, Princess of Yezidis
- Talal Murad, Journalist
- Khogir Wirya, Senior Research Fellow, MERI (Moderator)
Sub-panel S11B
- Abdulqadir Al-Dakhil, Governor of Nineveh
- Khogir Wirya, Senior Research Fellow, MERI (Moderator)
15:35 Panel Switch
15:45 S12: After 21 Years of Mediating Dialogue: What is next for UNAMI?
- Mohamed al Hassan, Special Representative of the United Nation’s Secretary General
- Tanya Gilly-Khailany, Former Member of Parliament.
16:15 Panel Switch
16:25 S13: Reforming Iraq’s Financial System: The role of the Central Bank
- Ali Al-Alaq, Governor of Central Bank of Iraq
- Sinan Mahmoud, Journalists, The National (Moderator)
16:55 Tea Break
17:25 S14: The Kurdistan Region of Iraq in a Turbulent Neighbourhood: Visions & Directions
- Nechirvan Barzani, President of Kurdistan Region of Iraq
- Bilal Wahab, President of the American University of Iraq, Sulaimani (Moderator)
18:20 Final Words
18:30 End of MERI Forum 2024