On May 18 and 19, Dr. Theo Benos represented the AE4RIA network at the inaugural “Delphi Forum Slemani”, held in Sulaymaniyah (Slemani), in the Kurdistan Region of Iraq. This event, which was overseen by Mr. Qubad Talabani, the Deputy Prime Minister of the Kurdistan Region, and the Greek Ministry of Foreign Affairs, served as a platform for discussing contemporary geopolitical challenges, economic and trade opportunities in the broader Middle East, energy sovereignty, and the diversification of the Iraqi economy.
The forum attracted prominent attendees, including the President of Iraq, Mr. Abdul Latif Rashid, former Prime Ministers such as Mr. Ahmet Davutoğlu and Mr. Massimo D’Alema, Greek Members of the European Parliament, as well as numerous policymakers, foreign diplomats, journalists, and international analysts.
In the session titled “Diplomatic and Economic Alliances: The Path Forward”, Dr. Benos analyzed how Iraq’s efforts to enhance the climate resilience of its agricultural sector could align with the EU Soil Strategy for 2030. He put forth the concept of “Oil for Soil” initiatives and outlined potential avenues for enhancing agricultural trade relations between the EU and Iraq.
