The Prime Minister Advisor for Water Affairs, Turhan al-Mufti, confirmed that Iraq faces complex water challenges stemming from external factors related to climate change, and internal factors related to encroachments on rivers. He noted that the government has, for the first time, used economic leverage in water negotiations with neighboring countries to secure Iraq’s water rights. He anticipated that Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan’s visit to Baghdad would result in an agreement to begin releasing up to one billion cubic meters of water.
AL-Mufti told Al-Iraqiya News Channel , as reported by the Iraqi News Agency (INA): “The external causes of the water crisis lie in the significant impacts of climate change, which are not limited to Iraq but affect the entire world, with the Middle East being among the most affected regions.” He explained that “Iraq is ranked among the 15 countries most affected by climate change, which has led to a northward shift of approximately 100 kilometers and a decrease in rainfall rates in the Tigris and Euphrates basins by up to 60%.”
He added that “the scarcity of rainfall in upstream countries necessitates what is known as ‘sharing the burden,’ as both Turkey and Iran rely on a share of the river water within their territories before releasing the remainder to Iraq, thus exacerbating the impact of the scarcity on the country.”
On the domestic front, AL-Mufti explained that “encroachments on rivers exacerbate the crisis, through the proliferation of illegal pumps and reservoirs, and agriculture outside the plans set by the Ministries of Agriculture and Water Resources.” He emphasized that “these encroachments significantly contribute to the depletion of water resources, and while work is underway to address them, more decisive measures are required.”
AL-Mufti pointed out that “for the first time since its founding, Iraq is utilizing its economic tools in water negotiations with neighboring countries.” He clarified that “previous agreements, including the 1946 Good Neighborliness Agreement with Turkey and the Algiers Agreement with Iran, did not contain clear provisions regarding water quotas.”
He added that “the 2024 Framework Water Agreement signed between the Prime Minister and the Turkish President during the latter’s visit to Baghdad represented the first practical step towards negotiating water releases by using economic leverage as an effective pressure tactic.”
He explained that “the Tigris and Euphrates basin in southern Turkey is also suffering from water scarcity similar to that experienced in Iraq, particularly in the Tigris River, while the water levels in the Euphrates River appear relatively better,” noting that “the current negotiations are focused on ensuring the agreed-upon water releases.”
AL-Mufti confirmed that “the commitment made during the meetings held on October 10 in Turkey stipulated the immediate release of one billion cubic meters of water, half a billion towards the Tigris and half towards the Euphrates, in addition to the daily releases,” expressing his hope that “tomorrow’s meetings during Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan’s visit to Baghdad will yield positive results that strengthen the agreement and guarantee the implementation of the releases discussed on the 10th of last month.”
