Media coverage
Mononews · 2025-05-19
The discussion, held as part of the Delphi Forum Slemani in Sulaymaniyah on 18–19 May 2025, focused on strengthening cooperation between the European Union and the Middle East to support entrepreneurship, trade, and institutional stability, with particular emphasis on Iraq and the Kurdistan Region. Omar Shaban, Head of PalThink for Strategic Studies and adviser to the European Institute of Peace, also described the catastrophic situation in Gaza, arguing that Palestinian stabilization is essential to changing the region’s trajectory and calling for an end to the war and space to rebuild Gaza under new Palestinian leadership.
The discussion, held as part of the Delphi Forum Slemani in Sulaymaniyah on 18–19 May 2025, focused on strengthening cooperation between the European Union and the Middle East to support entrepreneurship, trade, and institutional stability, with particular emphasis on Iraq and the Kurdistan Region.…
The discussion took place in the framework of the Delphi Forum Slemani, held on 18–19 May 2025 in Sulaymaniyah.
The need to strengthen cooperation between the European Union and the Middle East dominated the discussion on supporting entrepreneurship, trade, and institutional stability in the wider region. The discussion took place in the framework of the Delphi Forum Slemani, held on 18–19 May 2025 in Sulaymaniyah.
Anna Diamantopoulou, President of DIKTYO and former EU Commissioner, opened the discussion by stressing that “we are living in a time when geography defines us as much as politics — everything is changing.” Defending the role of the EU, she spoke of “a superpower” and underlined that “because of the EU, there has been no war on its borders for as long as it has existed.” The Union, she said, “can become a co-creator of positive developments in the region.”
Referring to Iraq, she noted that, despite its institutional weaknesses due to wars, it has three critical advantages: its geographic position, its demographic potential, and its natural resources. She proposed strengthening infrastructure on the part of the EU and investing in human capital: “The Kurds are renowned fighters — now they must become great workers.”
Ms. Diamantopoulou argued that a different Iraq in 2030 could play a pivotal role for the EU on a range of issues “from security to technology” and maintained that “peace and investment in people can change everything and lead to prosperity.” She also called for a realistic strategy: “We cannot discuss all the issues of the Middle East — we must focus on those we can change, such as Iraq. And we must do so now.”
Referring to women, she described her experience in front of a statue of a Kurdish woman fighter and proposed the creation of a European Erasmus-type program exclusively for young women in the region, one that would support them in founding startups: “Such an undertaking may not be easy — but think of a major startup founded by women in Iraq and growing with the support of Greece or the EU.”
MEP Nikos Papandreou began on a personal note: “Throughout my life, the Cyprus issue and the Palestinian issue have been dominant matters.” He referred to the values of the EU and the need to preserve the welfare state, while speaking of the strong pro-European sentiment he recently encountered in Albania: “I had recently gone to Albania and Albanians who recognized me approached me and told me they want to join the EU.”
He stressed the need for reforms in Iraq, pointing out that they must become “part of the country’s everyday life,” estimating that — as in Greece — bureaucracy can be addressed through the digitization of the state. In the same context, he referred to the digital euro, underlining that during the pandemic the EU’s dependence on two related technology companies became apparent. He also noted that even small initiatives, such as the mandatory publication of public sector acts on “Diavgeia,” can make a difference. “When I was younger I was calling for one big revolution — now I understand that ten small revolutions may be more useful,” he said in closing.
Omar Shaban, Head of PalThink for Strategic Studies and adviser to the European Institute of Peace, described the dramatic situation in Gaza, saying: “The situation is unimaginable — we have lost our faith.” He stressed that “the stabilization of Palestine is the only way for the situation in the region to change” and argued that “Gaza can become a symbol of stability and connection.” He noted that there are “highly educated people, Palestinians all over the world,” and that “Gaza is not in the middle of nowhere — it is on the Mediterranean.”
Describing the tragic present, he said that thousands of children have been killed or mutilated, adding that “the war did not start on 7 October — we have been living under occupation since 1967.” At the same time, he defended Gaza’s potential, saying: “We want to be part of the civilized Middle East,” and spoke of the need for elections and new leadership, estimating that Hamas would not receive more than 5% in Gaza. In the same context, he stressed that “there have already been demonstrations for the release of the hostages and the end of the war” inside Gaza. “Stop the war — give us two years to recover and build a new prosperous Gaza. Netanyahu is using Gaza as an excuse to annihilate us. I am proud to be Palestinian,” he said, “and many of us want to return to build the new Palestine.”
Dara Rashid Mahmud, Minister of Planning of the Kurdistan Regional Government, stressed that cooperation with the EU is not theoretical: “Our cooperation is not just a text — we are living a reality that is evolving.” He pointed to the importance of the Delphi Forum, saying that “whether in Delphi or here, it shows us the way.”
The discussion was moderated by Manveen Rana, Senior Editor of the British newspaper The Times.
The conference is being held under the auspices of the General Secretariat for International Economic Relations and Extroversion of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Enterprise Greece.
Text © Mononews — archived here with attribution to the source. — Machine translation for archival reference. — Original source