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State Formation, Sovereignty &
Transnational Conflict in the Middle East
WORKSHOP REPORT, MARCH 2025
The Middle East Peace and Security Forum and Cambridge University’s Centre for Geopolitics convened a workshop titled State Formation, Sovereignty & Transnational Conflict in the Middle East on the sidelines of the Middle East Peace and Security Forum 2024 at the American University of Kurdistan. The workshop explored a major issue in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA), namely the nature of the state and political legitimacy, the understanding of sovereignty, and the challenges to all three posed by sub-state or non-state actors. It zoomed in on specific regional conflicts, the relationship between Erbil and Baghdad and the future of the state-system in the Middle East, among other issues and themes, which are explored in depth in this report.
collaboration, partnership and dialogue.
MEPS Forum partners reflect the spirit of collaboration, partnership and dialogue that underscores our philosophy at MEPS Forum and the American University of Kurdistan. Our annual, flagship forum provides a platform for engaging directly with the decision-makers, policymakers, researchers, and thought leaders who will shape the future of the Middle East, while also enabling collaboration and scholarship. Our vast network of scholars, experts and researchers from the region and beyond play an instrumental role in developing debates, discussions and lasting solutions to the most pressing issues facing the Middle East
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