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Enabling Peace in Iraq Center

new Report

Water diplomacy in
the land of two rivers

Iraq has been afflicted by severe water shortages. This report delves into Iraq’s relationship with upstream neighbors Turkiye, Iran, and Syria, shedding light on the country’s water disputes amid an unfolding climate crisis. 

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Happening now

Our civic empowerment project is equipping young leaders in post-ISIS Ninewa Plains with political advocacy skills. Watch along:

Our civic empowerment project is equipping young leaders in post-ISIS Ninewa Plains with political advocacy skills. Watch along:

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What's happening now in iraq

ISHM: September 21 – 28, 2023

Key Takeaways: Court Ends The Term Of Kurdistan’s Provincial Councils; Bafel Talabani Reelected As PUK Leader; Ruling Coalition Affirms Respect For Kuwait’s Sovereignty – On September 24, Iraq’s Federal Supreme Court issued a ruling that ended the term of the provincial councils in the Kurdistan region. The Court said it determined that a 2019 amendment to the provincial councils’ law that extended their term after its expiration in 2018 was unconstitutional. The chairman of Erbil’s provincial council said the councils were unsure how to proceed, adding that their “legal committee will convene later to decide on what to do” to address what he described as a “legal gap.” On September 27, party members attending the PUK’s fifth conference unanimously reelected Bafel Talabani as the PUK’s sole leader. The party will reduce the size of its Leadership Council from 121 to 51 members and establish a new Support Council, which will be under

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this is epic:

EPIC is a non-profit organization that supports Iraqis working toward a just and peaceful Iraq where all citizens live a safe, free and dignified life. We carry out programs in Iraq, conduct crucial research, and push for change through advocacy.  You can support our work by receiving our newsletter, making a donation, participating in periodic campaigns, and joining our conversation on social media.

EPIC is a non-partisan, non-profit organization that supports Iraqis working toward a just and peaceful Iraq where all citizens live a safe, free and dignified life. We carry out programs in Iraq, conduct crucial research, and push for change through advocacy.  You can support our work by receiving our newsletter, making a donation, participating in periodic campaigns, and joining our conversation on social media.

We work on three priorities:

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Peace & recovery

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Governance & human rights

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climate action & conservation

 

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Download our ground-breaking report

Tishreen Report_3D

The Long Game: Iraq’s Tishreen Movement and the Struggle for Reform

The report presents a year of research that includes focus groups with Tishreen and Kurdish activists, a national public opinion survey, social media analysis, and dozens of in-depth interviews.

Download

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Learn about the movement

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News and Features

EPIC Summer 2023 Highlights & Upcoming Initiatives

Dear EPIC supporter, We are thrilled to share with you the latest updates on EPIC’s ongoing mission to advance peace and development in Iraq. As we approach our 25th anniversary, our commitment to the cause remains unwavering, and we are excited to showcase the impactful strides we’ve taken over this past summer. Unveiling Insights into Iraq’s Water Diplomacy Challenges and Solutions In July, we unveiled our newest publication, “Water Diplomacy in the Land of Two Rivers.” The product of months of intensive

Read More »

#38: Social Media and Iraq’s Protest Movement

Podcast (iraqmatters): Play in new window | Download (Duration: 1:01:44 — 42.4MB)

Subscribe: Google Podcasts | RSS

The nonviolent struggle for democratic reforms in Iraq is now well into its fifth month of sustained protests against the government. We talk with Hayder Hamzoz, founder of INSM (Iraqi Network for Social Media), a network of Iraqi bloggers and citizens journalists. Hayder shares his perspective on how the protests work and the critical role that social media activists are playing on both the physical and digital front lines of Iraq’s protest movement.

Read More »

Can oil and water mix?: Creating opportunities for Iraq-Turkey cooperation

Originally published by the Middle East Institute — August 31, 2023 Last week saw a flurry of diplomatic activity between Baghdad and Ankara. The top priorities in the talks that took place in Erbil, Ankara, and Baghdad almost simultaneously were oil exports, the presence of the Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK) in Iraq, and Iraq’s water crisis. The visits by Ankara’s foreign and energy ministers to Iraq and by Baghdad’s oil minister to Turkey were preparations for an anticipated visit by Turkish President Recep

Read More »

EPIC Summer 2023 Highlights & Upcoming Initiatives

Dear EPIC supporter, We are thrilled to share with you the latest updates on EPIC’s ongoing mission to advance peace and development in Iraq. As we approach our 25th anniversary, our commitment to the cause remains unwavering, and we are excited to showcase the impactful strides we’ve taken over this past summer. Unveiling Insights into Iraq’s Water Diplomacy Challenges and Solutions In July, we unveiled our newest publication, “Water Diplomacy in the Land of Two Rivers.” The product of months of intensive

Read More »

#38: Social Media and Iraq’s Protest Movement

Podcast (iraqmatters): Play in new window | Download (Duration: 1:01:44 — 42.4MB)

Subscribe: Google Podcasts | RSS

The nonviolent struggle for democratic reforms in Iraq is now well into its fifth month of sustained protests against the government. We talk with Hayder Hamzoz, founder of INSM (Iraqi Network for Social Media), a network of Iraqi bloggers and citizens journalists. Hayder shares his perspective on how the protests work and the critical role that social media activists are playing on both the physical and digital front lines of Iraq’s protest movement.

Read More »

Can oil and water mix?: Creating opportunities for Iraq-Turkey cooperation

Originally published by the Middle East Institute — August 31, 2023 Last week saw a flurry of diplomatic activity between Baghdad and Ankara. The top priorities in the talks that took place in Erbil, Ankara, and Baghdad almost simultaneously were oil exports, the presence of the Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK) in Iraq, and Iraq’s water crisis. The visits by Ankara’s foreign and energy ministers to Iraq and by Baghdad’s oil minister to Turkey were preparations for an anticipated visit by Turkish President Recep

Read More »

Iraq’s Electoral Democracy on the Line: A Call for Extending UNAMI’s Mandate

By EPIC’s Editorial Team On April 19, Judge Jalil Adnan Khalaf, Chairman of Iraq’s Independent High Electoral Commission (IHEC), reportedly resigned under pressure from influential political factions, raising concerns about the integrity of Iraq’s electoral system. This development, coupled with recent amendments to Iraq’s election law (published here), poses a formidable challenge to the progress made in electoral reforms following the Tishreen protests in October 2019, which aimed for a more democratic and accountable government. The Tishreen protest movement underscored

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