A core theme for this on-going project focuses on strengthening Iraq’s state institutions and redefining its centre-periphery governance. Iraq’s long-term stability requires a clear, constitutional framework for power-sharing between Baghdad and the peripheral provinces and the Kurdistan Region. Relations with Erbil must be institutionalised through sustained dialogue and adherence to the Constitution, especially regarding revenue-sharing […]

The on-going instability and security challenges in Iraq are inextricably linked to the country’s decades-long financial and economic crises. Policy- and decision-makers in Iraq need to develop the will and determination to create an environment conducive to sustainable investments, address the structural weaknesses of the economic system and initiate a radical reform programme. Iraq must […]

Since the regime change in Iraq, the KRG’s share of the federal budget and oil revenue has been the most significant point of tension between Erbil and Baghdad. Each year, when the budgetary law is formulated and voted upon, a new crisis is initiated; the next is already brewing, as the budget law is currently […]

MERI has over the years conducted research on the barriers to internally displaced persons’ (IDPs) return. IDPs from Nineveh, particularly Yazidi from Sinjar and Christians in Nineveh Plain experience multiple barriers, some of which are unarticulated, invisible in the context of existing societal concerns stemming from Nineveh’s history of violence and displacement. While millions of […]

The Levant and Iraq are home to the World’s most diverse ethno-religious communities, that had been integrated for millennia until the post WWI partition. Tragically, over the last century, the people of Levant, encompassed by the modern states of Lebanon, Syria, Iraq and Jordan, suffered largely externally driven divisions, conflicts and devastating wars.  This legacy […]

The recent developments in Syria, including the fall of the Assad regime and the emergence of a transitional government, mark a critical turning point. As the country enters a new phase, there is an urgent need for inclusive dialogue, compromise, and genuine power-sharing among all ethnic, religious, and political groups. Establishing a balanced governance structure […]

This Forum will explore the evolving dynamics of United States policies in the Middle East and their profound impact on Iraq and its neighbours. It highlights the Trump administration’s approach on the Iran nuclear deal, renewed engagement with regional powers, including Turkey and its recent visits to the Gulf, reflecting a strategic recalibration. In Iraq, […]

Iraq’s foreign policy reflects a careful effort to engage constructively with both Eastern and Western powers. Striving for balance, Iraq has avoided taking sides in global rivalries, instead maintaining cooperative ties with the U.S., Europe, China, and Russia alike. Its relations with neighbouring Iran and Turkey remain sensitive yet essential for security and economic development. […]

The project will provide a new perspective on barriers to safe, sustained and voluntary return and stabilisation in Nineveh Plains and Western Nineveh.