Dear Honorable Attendees!
Good morning and welcome to the third annual conference of the Rudaw Research Center. It is a great honor and responsibility for myself and my colleagues at the Rudaw Media Network that today, at a sensitive time the Middle East is going through, we are opening the doors for a multilateral dialogue about various issues in Erbil, the ancient city of Kurdistan that has been a meeting point for many cultures and civilizations in this region.
I have no doubt that the discussions of our conference, with the participation of you honorable attendees, will be another exceptional step in developing the culture of dialogue during times of conflict, especially in a region that has been suffering from the disasters and hardships of war and conflict for many years.
The Erbil Conference 2025 is being held at a time when the Middle East is at the center of global geopolitical changes, security puzzles, and economic and social transformations. The current obstacles of war, and climate change along with political, economic, and social transitions have together accumulated several layers of uncertainty regarding the future of this region. This is quite significant for a region whose geography comprises only 5-6% of the world's area. Additionally, from a political perspective, the changes in alliances and regional conflicts, along with the role of major global powers, have created uncertainty for the future of this region.
Alongside the war in Eastern Europe and the possibilities of tension in other parts of the world, the events following October 7, 2023, the fall of the Baathist regime in Syria, have brought the Middle East before a series of important events ranging from arms competition and changing alliances to the possibility of other wars breaking out, encompassing many broad topics.
Over the past five years, more than 14% of all organized violence incidents in the world occurred in this region, and in the past year alone, this percentage reached 20% of all organized violence worldwide.
While power and ideological polarization have increased in the world and the Middle East, the role of individuals and strong leaders has grown stronger than institutions, which is more evident in this region than anywhere else. That's why keeping the door of dialogue open is more important than ever for this region.
Economically, the GDP growth rate in this region has increased due to the participation of oil-producing countries in the Gulf, but in reality, rising inflation and prices, currency crises, energy market uncertainty, and economic reform issues along with environmental challenges such as the climate crisis have added another layer of uncertainty to the future of this region.
Additionally, the region is undergoing demographic and social transformation, and states' ability to meet the needs of the next generation is debatable. Rapid population growth, issues of misinformation and false information, social issues such as the role of youth and women in the societies of this region, drug use, and organized crime here have not only become national issues for countries but have also evolved into major international concerns.
The Erbil Conference 2025 focuses on these issues and, with your honorable participation and more than 120 international guests from different countries around the world, attempts to present a comprehensive picture of the current situation and ways to overcome these accumulated uncertainties. Undoubtedly, this would not have been possible without the support of our partners who united our thoughts together to make the Erbil Conference successful.
We are honored that His Excellency Abdul Latif Rashid, President of Federal Iraq, His Excellency Mahmood Mashhadani, Speaker of the Parliament of the Federal Republic of Iraq. His Excellency Mohammed Shia Al-Sudani, Prime Minister of Federal Iraq, Mr. Nechirvan Barzani, President of Kurdistan Region, Qubad Talabani, Deputy Prime Minister of Kurdistan Region, along with a significant number of senior political officials from both domestic and foreign countries, along with diplomats, scholars, and analysts from home and abroad, will assist us through their presence and participation to conduct a thorough and comprehensive dialogue.
Finally, it is appropriate to thank the sponsors of the Erbil Conference who lightened some of our burdens. Also, my endless thanks to all my colleagues at Rudaw Media Network, along with a team of volunteers from Kurdistan University-Erbil, who have worked tirelessly in the past period to make this conference successful. The support of most of them, who are like unknown soldiers working behind the scenes, deserves respect and appreciation.
Welcome again. Hoping for a fruitful dialogue.
