Slemani Summit Kicks Off with Broad Political and Economic Participation

Kurdistan 11:48 AM - 2026-09-17

Slemani Summit 2026.

The Slemani Summit 2026, organised by the Vision Foundation, opened on Thursday at the Grand Millennium Hotel in Sulaymaniyah under the theme, “Directing Capital Towards Sustainable Growth in Real Estate and Industry.”

The opening was attended by Nizar Amedi, President of Iraq; Nechirvan Barzani, President of the Kurdistan Region; and Qubad Talabani, Deputy Prime Minister of the Kurdistan Regional Government, alongside several government ministers, heads of investment boards, parliamentary committee chairs, banking executives, business leaders, and local and international experts.

Hosted with media support from Kurdsat Broadcasting Corporation, the two-day summit will feature a series of strategic panel discussions.

President Amedi Urges Joint Efforts to Strengthen Iraq’s Economic Stability

During the summit, the President of the Republic welcomed participants and said the conference was important in helping officials and specialists make the decisions needed to advance Iraq’s economy.

He stressed the importance of cooperation between the public and private sectors, as well as relevant organisations, in shaping fiscal and economic policies and strengthening financial and economic stability. Given the circumstances facing Iraq and the wider region, he said joint efforts were essential to mitigating the impact of regional tensions.

President Amedi reaffirmed his support for legislation that would enable the private sector to play a greater role in implementing strategic projects. He also stressed the need to integrate the roles of the state and private sector, diversify economic activity and turn national resources and potential into productive projects.

He said these efforts would contribute to building a more diversified economy, improving public services and creating employment opportunities, particularly for young people.

The President further stressed that political and security stability could not be fully achieved without sustainable economic and social stability. He acknowledged the impact of escalating regional tensions on Iraq and underlined the importance of protecting national policies and shielding the country from the repercussions of regional conflicts.

Nechirvan Barzani Calls for Constitutional Implementation

Nechirvan Barzani, President of the Kurdistan Region, subsequently addressed the summit, describing it as an important platform for discussing the economic future of both the Kurdistan Region and Iraq.

He highlighted the private sector’s important role in developing the Kurdistan Region, stressing the need to create a favourable environment for investment and private-sector activity.

“It is time for us to move from a consumer economy to a productive one in the tourism, agricultural and industrial sectors,” Barzani said.

He added that the Kurdistan Region and Iraq were complementary, stressing that the strength of Iraq was linked to the strength of the Kurdistan Region and vice versa.

Barzani also stressed that political disputes should not obstruct investment and reconstruction.

“Political disputes must not hinder the process of investment and reconstruction,” he said, adding that the Kurdistan Region sought cooperation with Iraq and welcomed projects by companies from the Region in other parts of the country. He noted, however, that such efforts required support from the federal government.

The Kurdistan Region President also emphasised the importance of political and social stability in sustaining investment, saying stability required effective legislation and a shared commitment to the Constitution.

More than two decades after the ratification of Iraq’s Constitution, Barzani questioned whether its provisions had been implemented as agreed, arguing that a number of its articles and clauses had yet to be fully implemented.

He described the Constitution as the protector and guarantor of the rights of all Iraqis.

“When we call for the implementation of the Constitution, we are not seeking anything for ourselves at the expense of other components,” Barzani said. “Rather, we want to implement the terms of this social contract ratified by the people.”

He stressed that the Constitution protects the rights of all Iraqis and said the goal should be a strong and unified Iraq rather than a weak or fragmented state.

“We want a strong Iraq where we all turn to the Constitution—a country where all components live in peace and security, with their legal and constitutional rights upheld,” he said.

Barzani further stressed the need to resolve outstanding issues between the Kurdistan Region and the federal government through the Constitution, mutual understanding and dialogue.

Regarding the Kurdistan Region’s internal affairs, he said efforts should also focus on resolving disputes among political parties, noting that citizens want their problems addressed and political stability strengthened across the Region.

Qubad Talabani Stresses Role of Private Sector in Economic Development

Qubad Talabani, Deputy Prime Minister of the Kurdistan Region, expressed his pleasure at the hosting of the summit in Sulaymaniyah.

He said the summit was important for supporting and developing the private sector, both across Iraq and within the Kurdistan Region. He highlighted Sulaymaniyah’s significant progress in agriculture, industry and tourism, describing the city as a centre of art, culture and literature and the cultural capital of the Kurdistan Region.

Talabani welcomed the continued growth of culture, literature and the arts alongside the city’s economic development. He also highlighted Sulaymaniyah’s advances in technology, saying the city had established itself as an important hub for innovation and development.

He stressed that economic and financial challenges could not be addressed by the government alone, but required collective efforts and cooperation among all stakeholders. He said the summit therefore provided an important opportunity to strengthen partnership and cooperation between the public and private sectors.


PUKMEDIA