Iraqi MPs push Baghdad to curb escalating water shortages
Shafaq News- Baghdad
On Sunday, lawmakers from Dhi Qar province, southern Iraq, called for an emergency water plan, urging the government to use economic leverage to pressure Turkiye to increase Iraq’s water allocations.
Speaking at a press conference held at the parliament building alongside other MPs, MP Mohammed Al-Hassnawi pointed to declining water releases from upstream dams and illegal encroachments on allocated shares. He called for increasing Dhi Qar’s water share, ensuring the full release of its allocated quota, and removing violations along rivers, warning that the declining flows have severely impacted the agricultural sector and made it difficult for residents to secure water for daily use.
Read more: Iraq’s water crisis: A structural rewrite of agricultural governance
MP Adel Al-Rikabi described the situation in central and southern provinces as a “real catastrophe,” warning that the continued crisis could push southern residents toward displacement and migration. He also pointed out that “billions of dollars flow to Ankara through bilateral trade,” while Iraq faces a deepening water crisis.
Read more: Commercial transaction: Experts reject Iraq-Turkiye water agreement
According to the Green Iraq Observatory, the worsening drought in Dhi Qar province has displaced more than 10,000 families across rural areas, with families fleeing to urban centers in search of water and basic services. The buffalo population (a key livestock for southern Iraq) in the province has also sharply declined from 21,000 to just 10,000 over the past two years, attributing the losses directly to prolonged water scarcity.
Read more: Discover Iraq: Dhi Qar, the forgotten gem of Mesopotamia
