Duhok, Iraq – The Middle East Peace and Security Forum (MEPS 2025) concluded in Duhok, Iraqi Kurdistan, bringing together prominent political figures from Iraq, Kurdistan, and representatives from North and East Syria. Academics and diplomatic delegations from the Middle East, Europe, and North America also participated.
The forum addressed critical security challenges, political transitions, and post-war crises, with a particular focus on the Syrian issue and the Autonomous Administration of North and East Syria (AANES) and the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) as a potential model for dialogue and peacebuilding in the region.
Key attendees included Kurdistan Democratic Party leader Masoud Barzani, Iraqi Prime Minister Mohammed Shia al-Sudani, President of the Supreme Judicial Council Faiq Zidan, President of the Kurdistan Region Nechirvan Barzani, Prime Minister of the Kurdistan Region Masrour Barzani, and Iraqi Foreign Minister Fuad Hussein.
The presence of SDF Commander-in-Chief Mazloum Abdi and Co-chair of the AANES Foreign Relations Department, Ilham Ahmed, was particularly noteworthy. Duhok served as a meeting point for Iraqi, Kurdish, and Syrian leaders amidst a complex regional environment characterized by conflict and competition for influence.
During a special session on Syria, Ilham Ahmed emphasized that the roots of the Syrian crisis lie in a mentality of governance based on power, weapons, and exclusion. She argued this marginalized various groups, particularly the Kurds, and perpetuated discrimination against women. Ahmed asserted that any political process requires a new constitution that guarantees rights and establishes a participatory administration that transcends the dominance of a single center.
The AANES official added that the same mentality has fueled ethnic and sectarian conflicts throughout the Middle East. She also stated that the artificial borders of the Sykes-Picot Agreement continue to hinder dialogue. In his remarks, Mazloum Abdi stated that decentralization in Syria is a choice from which there is no return, and that the SDF are ready to protect it.
