Shafaq News – Baghdad

Iraq’s government must ensure that Turkiye adheres to its recently signed bilateral water agreement, the Iraqi parliament’s Agriculture, Water, and Marshes Committee said on Monday, stressing that the deal should be binding for both sides to safeguard Iraq’s water security.

Committee member MP Zozan Kojar told Shafaq News that the agreement is a positive step toward strengthening economic and water cooperation, adding that “the agreed economic provisions will benefit Iraq through knowledge exchange and the implementation of projects that support both the agricultural and industrial sectors, serving shared interests.” 

Kojar emphasized that the agreement must include precise allocations for the Tigris and Euphrates rivers, with clear mechanisms to respond to extreme weather or emergencies that may require increased water releases to protect Iraq’s agriculture.

“The drought index stands at approximately 3.7 on a scale from zero to five, meaning Iraq is now facing a serious drought challenge.”

Earlier, Iraqi Foreign Minister Fuad Hussein and his Turkish counterpart Hakan Fidan signed an executive mechanism for their countries’ water cooperation agreement. 

In July, Turkiye agreed to raise water releases to 420 cubic meters per second and assist in irrigation and reservoir projects across Iraq.