Iraq: Neighboring upstream dam projects threaten water security
Shafaq News/ On Friday, Iraq's Minister of Water Resources, Awn Dhiab Abdullah, accused the upstream countries of the Tigris and Euphrates rivers of making "large" investments, without prior coordination with Iraq.
Speaking at a ceremony marking Arab and World Water Day, Abdullah pointed out that his ministry has been, and continues to be, in discussions with the upstream nations to reach agreements that define each country's share, in accordance with international law and established norms.
He stressed the importance of developing and implementing plans aimed at achieving a balance in water usage, including building a network of dams and reservoirs within Iraq and creating strategies to combat drought and water scarcity.
Abdullah also highlighted the adoption of modern irrigation technologies, such as sprinkler and drip irrigation, to reduce wastage, alongside land reclamation projects.
The minister mentioned that “a strategic study is being updated to assess the impact of climate change, which has become increasingly evident in recent years, on the region's water resources and Iraq’s situation.”
The water crisis in Iraq has worsened to unprecedented levels, primarily due to reduced rainfall in recent years linked to climate change, and secondly because of declining water levels in the Tigris and Euphrates rivers, caused by water policies in Iran and Turkiye. This situation threatens to lead to a humanitarian disaster in the country.
According to United Nations reports, Iraq is among the five most affected countries by climate change. The World Bank, at the end of 2022, stated that Iraq faces an urgent climate challenge and must shift towards a "greener and more environmentally-conscious" development model, particularly by diversifying its economy and reducing its carbon dependence.
The World Bank's report also projected that by 2040, Iraq will require $233 billion in investments to meet its most urgent developmental needs while shifting towards a more inclusive, green growth model, equating to 6% of its annual GDP.
Additionally, the Strategic Center for Human Rights recently reported that Iraq has lost about 30% of its agricultural land due to climate change over the past three decades.
