The 9th Sulaimani Forum commenced on Wednesday, bringing together both local and international leaders and officials.

The Sulaimani Forum, taking place on April 16 and 17 at the American University of Iraq, Sulaimani (AUIS), aims to address key challenges confronting Iraq, the wider region, and the international community.

Regarded as the oldest and most influential political event in the Kurdistan Region, the Sulaimani Forum gathers leaders, researchers, and intellectuals from across the Middle East, Europe, the United States, and beyond.

This year’s forum is organized in collaboration with several leading international institutions, including Chatham House, the Italian Institute of International Affairs (IAI), the International Crisis Group, Century International, and the Issam Fares Institute at the American University of Beirut.

Iraqi Prime Minister Mohammed Shia al-Sudani, along with several ministers from the Iraqi government, and Kurdistan Region Prime Minister Masrour Barzani, accompanied by ministers from the Kurdistan Regional Government, are expected to attend the forum in Sulaymaniyah.

According to the forum’s agenda, attendees will include Deputy Prime Minister Gubad Talabani; Patriotic Union of Kurdistan (PUK) President Bafel Jalal Talabani; National Wisdom Movement leader Ammar al-Hakim; the UN Secretary-General’s Special Representative for Iraq, Mohamed al-Hassan; Kurdistan Democratic Party (KDP) Political Bureau member Hoshyar Zebari; and AUIS Board of Trustees Founder and Chairman Dr. Barham Salih.

The forum’s discussions will cover Iraq’s upcoming elections, the current political landscape, and the evolving domestic dynamics in relation to regional and international developments.

Key regional topics will also be addressed, including the formation of a new government in Damascus, ongoing changes in Lebanon, and heightened focus on challenges in Rojava.

Established in 2013, the Sulaimani Forum is one of Iraq and the region’s prominent political gatherings, launched by the Institute of Regional and International Studies (IRIS) at the American University of Iraq, Sulaimani.