The Middle East Research Institute (MERI) is an independent, non-profit and non-governmental organisation focused on policy issues relating to the people, the land and the system of governance in the Middle East in general, and Iraq and Kurdistan Region in particular. MERI’s mission is to contribute to the process of nation- and state-building in the Middle East via research, analysis and policy debates. MERI’s ultimate objective is to promote and develop human rights, democracy, good governance, the rule of law and social and economic prosperity.
MERI has a broad range of activities, grouped under five operational programmes: a) International Politics and National Security; b) Democracy and Governance; c) Economics, Energy and Environment; d) Health, Education and Public Services; and e) Community, Civil Society and Cultural Development. The Institute takes the extra mile of using its analysis of political and socioeconomic phenomena in order to deliver policy recommendations to local, national, and international policy-makers.
MERI is committed to open access and makes its research available to the general public through publications, workshops, seminars and conferences. MERI’s annual conference (MERI Forum) has become a major platform for dialogue and engagement between policy- and decision-makers, opposition parties, civil society, academics and the general public. MERI also conducts capacity building and training courses for journalists, non-governmental organisations and institutional leaders.
Over the recent years, MERI has carried out extensive investigations with numerous publications on:
- The economic, political and power dynamics in Middle East.
- EU-Turkish relations and their impact on the region.
- State- and nation-building and government reform in Iraq and Kurdistan Region
- Stabilisation and conflict resolution in the Middle East.
- The ethno-religious minorities perception of conflict and reconciliation.
- Population displacement, onward migration and return.
- Human rights, women empowerment and prevention of violence against women.
Person responsible for VIADUCT activities: Dlawer Ala’Aldeen, President of MERI
Website: www.meri-k.org
Twitter: @MERI_Info
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/meri.info/