MERI Forum 2025 will aim to:
- Provide a platform for dialogue and the exchange of ideas among policymakers, academics, and decision-makers.
- Develop creative and constructive solutions to today’s most pressing policy challenges, with a particular focus on pathways toward sustainable stability in the Middle East.
- Identify priority areas for future research that can deepen understanding of the region’s evolving challenges and opportunities.
Iraq’s foreign policy reflects a careful effort to engage constructively with both Eastern and Western powers. Amid complex regional and global dynamics, this balanced policy has proven challenging but largely sustainable. Its relations with global and regional powers remain sensitive yet essential for security and economic development. Clearly, engagement with European partners has deepened, supporting reconstruction and diplomacy. Iraq’s stability and prosperity depend on continuing this delicate diplomacy and constructive engagement while protecting its sovereignty and national interests in a turbulent landscape. Here we need clarity from the international partner’s perspective, and attempt to understand their visions, strategies and policies, as well as the challenges they face in realising these.
Integrating Iraq’s Energy and Economy to the Global System
This panel explores the intersection of energy, economy, and Iraq’s role in the evolving global system. As Iraq seeks to attract international investment, issues like regulatory stability, transparency, and contract enforcement remain central to shaping investor confidence. The energy sector offers vast potential from traditional oil and gas to emerging opportunities in renewables, but positioning Iraq as a reliable supplier and trade rout requires infrastructure, policy reform, regional integration and global alignment. Beyond hydrocarbons, leveraging energy revenues to diversify into manufacturing, agriculture, and services is crucial for sustainable growth. Public-private partnerships can catalyze this shift, particularly in areas like logistics, industrial zones, and digital infrastructure. Regionally, Iraq has a strategic role in energy connectivity across the Gulf, Levant, and Europe, while also needing to align with global decarbonization trends. Finally, technology transfer, education, and workforce development, driven by international collaboration, can unlock long-term competitiveness.
Economic Diplomacy in a Fragmented Middle East: Building Collaboration and Shaping Regional Futures
The Middle East is at a critical juncture, where economic diplomacy has become a vital tool to navigate fragmentation and uncertainty. Regional challenges, ranging from conflict and political rivalries to economic disparities, have underscored the urgent need for cooperation beyond traditional security frameworks. Economic diplomacy offers a pathway to foster trade, investment, energy partnerships, and sustainable development that can bridge divides and create shared opportunities. This panel will explore how governments, institutions, and private actors can leverage economic diplomacy to build collaboration, strengthen resilience, and shape a more stable and prosperous regional future amid the complexities of the Middle East’s evolving landscape.
Between Multipolarity and Minipolarity: The Middle East’s Evolving Power Landscape
This panel examines the shifting balance of power in the Middle East amid U.S. retrenchment, rising regional actors, and growing influence of non-state forces. Experts will explore whether the region is truly moving toward multipolarity or a fragmented minipolarity, the evolving roles of China, Russia, and middle powers, and the impact of recent conflicts like the 12-day Iran–Israel war. Discussions will assess attempts at regional security architectures, shifting sovereignty dynamics, and the future of Iran’s influence. Panelists will provide insights into how these transformations are reshaping security, diplomacy, and strategic alignments across the region.
State-building in Iraq: Lessons from the Past and Recommendations for the Future
As Iraq and some other countries in the region, particularly in the Levant, continue their complex state-building journies, this panel reflects on key lessons from the past two decades and explores strategic recommendations for the future. Despite efforts to strengthen institutions, governance, and public trust, major challenges remain in Iraq. With the mandate of the United Nations Assistance Mission for Iraq (UNAMI) approaching its end, and no clear successor to its stabilizing role, questions arise about who will support Iraq in navigating the next phase of its development. This discussion will focus on how Iraq can build resilient, inclusive institutions while preserving sovereignty, and what role international actors can or should play in the post-UNAMI landscape.
Iraq and the Kurdistan Region: Dual Fragilities, Shared Futures
This panel brings together Iraqi political leaders to engage in a candid dialogue on the structural weaknesses of Iraq’s political system and the dual fragilities facing both the federal government and the Kurdistan Region. Despite constitutional frameworks meant to enable power-sharing and cooperation, political deadlock, institutional erosion, and contested governance persist. The session will explore how both Baghdad and Erbil can move beyond crisis management to forge a more stable, inclusive, and accountable political order. With rising public discontent and external uncertainty, the future demands bold reforms and a shared commitment to rebuilding state
The Challenge of State-Building amidst the Complex Internal Political Dynamics and Regional Security Dynamics
This panel addresses the ongoing challenge of state-building in Iraq amid a landscape shaped by complex internal political dynamics and shifting external security pressures. Fragmented governance, political polarization, and weak institutions have hindered progress toward a stable and accountable state. At the same time, regional rivalries and the influence of non-state actors continue to complicate Iraq’s security environment. As Iraq seeks to assert its sovereignty and restore public trust, the panel will explore how political reconciliation, institutional reform, and a clearer national vision can help Iraq navigate these challenges and build a more resilient and unified state.
Ambition Meets Complexity: The Kurdistan Region in a Shifting Iraqi Landscape
The Kurdistan Region of Iraq stands at a pivotal moment, navigating ambitious economic, political, and security goals amid a shifting national and regional landscape. This panel explores the region’s strategies for asserting political influence, fostering economic development, and engaging with both Baghdad and the international community. Panelists will examine the challenges of balancing internal governance, regional partnerships, and relations with Iraq’s federal government, while addressing the evolving roles of non-state actors and external powers. The discussion will also consider how Kurdistan can leverage its energy resources, human capital, and strategic position to secure a sustainable and resilient future.
The Levant Beyond Conflict: Strategies for Recovery and Reintegration
The Levant faces an urgent need to move beyond decades of conflict, displacement, and political instability. This panel brings together think tank leaders from Lebanon, Jordan, Syria, and Iraq to examine strategies for recovery and reintegration across the region. Discussion will focus on rebuilding institutions, fostering social cohesion, supporting displaced populations, and promoting inclusive economic development. Panelists will also explore regional cooperation, the role of international actors, and lessons learned from previous recovery efforts. The goal is to identify sustainable approaches that can restore stability, strengthen governance, and create pathways for resilient, peaceful societies.
Syria: In Search of Unity Amidst Fragmentation
Syria remains a fragmented state after more than a decade of conflict, with political, territorial, and social divisions challenging prospects for national unity. This panel brings together think tank leaders and policy makers to explore pathways toward reconstruction, governance reform, and social cohesion. Discussion will focus on strategies to reconcile competing political actors, address the needs of displaced populations, and rebuild institutions across fragmented territories. Panelists will also examine the roles of regional and international actors, the challenges of inclusive governance, and opportunities for economic and social reintegration. The goal is to identify practical approaches to fostering unity in a divided Syria.
The Challenge of Being in Opposition in the Kurdistan Region
The opposition in the Kurdistan Region faces a profound challenge: despite growing public grevience with entrenched two-party authority, it has failed to emerge as a credible alternative. The widening gap between citizens and the ruling elite should have created fertile ground for change, yet opposition parties remain fragmented, and unable to mobilize broad support. Their lack of unity and vision has left the government largely unchallenged, weakening democratic accountability, eroding the rule of law. The pressing question is whether the opposition can reinvent itself, offering a coherent vision, renewed credibility, and genuine hope for the Region’s democratic future.
Kurdistan Region: In Search of Vision for Unity and Prosperity
The Kurdistan Region of Iraq faces a critical moment in defining a vision for unity and prosperity amid political fragmentation, economic challenges, and evolving regional dynamics. This policy debate brings a leading political figure to discuss strategies for strengthening governance, promoting economic development, and fostering social cohesion. Panelists will explore approaches to managing relations withint the KRI, with Baghdad, regional powers, and the international community, while addressing internal political disputes, security concerns, and human capital development. The discussion aims to identify practical pathways for a stable, prosperous, and unified Kurdistan Region capable of navigating both domestic and external challenges.
Peace in Türkiye: A Catalyst for Stability and Prosperity in the Levant and Iraq
Turkey’s internal peace process is crucial for stability across the Levant and Iraq. This panel will explore strategies to advance the on-going internal negotiations, promote national reconciliation, and address regional security concerns. Discussions will examine legislative, executive, and policy measures Turkey may adopt, the roles Iraqi and Syrian stakeholders can play, and the potential benefits for regional cooperation and economic development. Panelists will also assess how reconciliation could reshape political dynamics in Turkey, the Parliament, and the government, while identifying opportunities for international support. Ms. Hatimoglullari will provide insights on additional relevant issues and future trends.
Visions from Rojava: The Future of Syria and North East Syria
This panel brings together a key political leader from North East Syria (Rojava) to discuss the region’s future amid ongoing Syrian conflict and broader regional dynamics. The conversation will explore governance, decentralization, security, and socio-economic development in Rojava, while examining the role of local, regional, and international actors. Panelists will discuss strategies for stability, inclusive political processes, and post-conflict reconstruction. The discussion will also highlight challenges and opportunities for Rojava in navigating relations with Damascus, neighboring states, and global stakeholders, providing insights into the long-term prospects for peace and development in Syria.