The Institute of Regional and International Studies (IRIS) at the American University of Iraq, Sulaimani (AUIS), hosted the 9th annual Sulaimani Forum on April 16-17, 2025. As Iraq’s leading policy event, the Forum brought together more than 700 national and international policymakers, diplomats, researchers, and experts to discuss the most urgent issues facing Iraq and the wider region.
This year’s Forum took place at a time of rising uncertainty in the Middle East. Discussions focused on how Iraq and its neighbors are responding to changing global and regional alliances, in addition to new economic and security challenges. The agenda also highlighted the impact of climate change on health and resources, as well as key questions around governance and Iraq's upcoming elections.
The Forum speaker include the Prime Minister and the deputy Prime Minister of the Government of Iraq, the President and Prime Minister of the Kurdistan Region, alongside high-level delegations from the United States, The Islamic Republic of Iran, North East Syria and several other countries across the Middle East and Europe. As in previous years, the Forum will also welcome leading voices from civil society, international organizations, and the private sector.
IRIS was proud to partner with six leading policy institutions for this year’s edition: Chatham House, Century International, the International Crisis Group, Arab Reform Initiative, Istituto Affari Internazionali, and the Issam Fares Institute at the American University of Beirut. In addition to public panels, the Forum hosted a series of policy roundtables that brought together scholars and policymakers for in-depth discussions. These sessions were organized in collaboration with the Arab Reform Initiative, Johns Hopkins University, and DT Institute.
Overview of Agenda
Day 1 (April 16, 2025)
keynote speech and opening remarks from the Prime Minister of Iraq, President of the Kurdistan Region, Prime Minister of Kurdistan Region, Special Representative for Iraq and Head of United Nation Assistance Mission for Iraq, Head of the Hikma National Movement, and other officials and luminaries.
- The MENA Region in a Changing Global Order (Panel)
- Iran, Iraq, and the Middle East (Panel)
- Revitalizing Iraq’s Economy and Energy Infrastructure (Panel)
- Just Energy Transition in the Middle East (Roundtable)
- Climate & Health Security in Iraq and the Middle East (Roundtable)
Day 2 (April 17, 2025)
- Northeast Syria and Implications for the Region (Panel)
- Iraq’s Political Scene (Panel)
- Why are Conflicts Surging Globally? (One-on-One)
- Climate Crisis, Conflict, and Health (Panel)
- Security and Civilians in Gaza, Syria, Iraq and Lebanon (Roundtable)
- Youth Demographics and Change (Roundtable)
Important Links
- Photographs: You can view the full photographs of day 1 here, day 2 here, Speech & Panel Discussions here, Roundtable Discussions here, and Mohammed Shia' Al Sudani' Roundtable here.
- Video: You can view the full recording of day 1 here and day 2 here. Roundtables were closed events for specialists; contact IRIS for more details.
- Full Agenda: To view a more detailed agenda and a list of speakers for each of the panels and roundtables, see the Sulaimani Forum 2025 website and click on “schedule.”
