The Institute of Regional and International Studies (IRIS) is delighted to announce that the 8th annual Sulaimani Forum will be held on April 17 and 18, 2024. The event will be hosted by IRIS and the American University of Iraq, Sulaimani (AUIS) and promises to bring together local and international thought leaders and decision-makers. The Sulaimani Forum addresses the most pressing challenges in Iraq and the broader Middle East region, with a focus on the environment, economic development, and geopolitics.
The Forum is the largest and longest running policy event in Iraq. Founded in 2013, the Sulaimani Forum hosts leaders from around the world for high-level discussion and debate. The 2023 Forum featured Prime Minister of Iraq Mohammed Shia Al-Sudani and Kurdistan Region President Nechirvan Barzani, in addition to foreign officials such as the Special Representative of the UN Secretary-General for Iraq Jeanine Hennis-Plasschaert, Special Advisor to the US President and NSC Senior Director for the Middle East Terry A. Wolff, and the former Foreign Minister of Sweden Ann Linde. In addition, researchers and diplomats from across Iraq, MENA, Europe and the US participated as speakers and panelists during the two-day event.
The 2024 Forum will be held in the wake of domestic economic instability related to KRG-Baghdad negotiations over oil exports, MENA-wide concerns over the impact of climate change and water scarcity, and the ongoing conflict and humanitarian crisis in Gaza, which has profound implications for regional politics and security.
The Forum is funded exclusively through corporate sponsorships and donations from partner organizations. In-person attendance at the Forum is by invitation only, but the event will be livestreamed for the public. Please contact [email protected] for press inquiries or sponsorship information.
