Iraqi Minister sounds alarm on "serious challenges"

Shafaq News – New York

Iraq’s Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Planning, Mohammed Ali Tamim, said on Monday that the country continues to face major challenges, particularly those related to climate change and the worsening water shortage.

Representing Iraq at the opening session of the 2025 High-Level Political Forum on Sustainable Development—held by the United Nations in New York from July 21 to 24 to assess global progress on the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)—Tamim stressed that the water crisis remains one of Iraq’s most urgent challenges. He expressed gratitude for the UN’s continued support to developing countries and acknowledged the meaningful cooperation of international partners in addressing this critical issue.

Earlier, Iraq's Green Observatory estimated the country’s annual groundwater reserves at 3.4 billion cubic meters, with sustainable yields potentially exceeding 5 billion cubic meters per year.

Official Iraqi data indicate the country could face a 20% decline in surface water availability by 2035, driven by upstream flow reductions and the escalating impacts of climate change.