Iraq: Navigating Reform, Collapse and the Status Quo
November 23-25, 2020
Register here.
2020 has seen the advent of crisis after crisis in Iraq: from the assassinations of Qasem Soleimani and Abu Mehdi al-Muhandis and a series of clashes between US and Iran-aligned militias, to the months-long political crisis over the appointment of a new government, the impact of the coronavirus pandemic on Iraq’s crumbling healthcare system, the collapse of oil prices and delays in paying public salaries, and rumblings from a resurgent ISIS.
Prime Minister Mustafa Al-Kadhimi is attempting to pursue a reform agenda to pull the country back from the brink, but political wrangling over the early elections proposed for next year, ongoing popular protests revealing deeper societal grievances and escalating violence in the streets may be an indication that Iraq is heading in the wrong direction.
At the 2019 Chatham House Iraq conference, the country’s transition to a period of peace and stability was on the agenda. A year later, Iraq looks to be in an altogether more precarious place, once again facing the possibility of the outbreak of conflict.
This virtual conference, part of the Chatham House Iraq Initiative, will bring together Iraqi and international policymakers, academics and activists to discuss the critical issues for Iraq as it navigates this challenging period.
The conference will be held on the record.
Please note that the conference will take place via the Conference+ platform. For best experience, please use either Google Chrome, Firefox or Microsoft Edge when signing in to the platform. Each session will be hosted on Zoom, with simultaneous interpretation available in Arabic and English.
Event Contact: Georgia Cooke, project manager, MENA Programme, gcooke@chathamhouse.org
