MOWR announces activating a memorandum with Turkey for a full water quota

Baghdad-INA

Minister of Water Resources, Mahdi Rashid Al-Hamdani, confirmed Today, Saturday, that the ministry activates a memorandum with Turkey that allows obtaining a full water quota.

Al-Hamdani said in his speech at the “Water Security Conference is one of the most important pillars of national security,” which was attended by the correspondent of the Iraqi News Agency (INA): “The ministry was able to activate the memorandum of understanding with Turkey, which was signed in 2009 and amended in 2014, and it allows Iraq to obtain a full quota," noting that "there is a joint committee with Turkey based in Iraq to coordinate in the water issue."

He noted that "The water coming from Iran, even if it is 15%, as water imports, greatly affects Diyala province, since the province is completely fed by Iranian water."

He added that "the water crisis is the crisis of the whole country, and we hope that everyone will continue to pay  great attention to the water file," stressing that "there are executive procedures and a protocol voted by the Cabinet in order to determine the water share."

Al-Hamdani added that "The upstream states took advantage of the Iraqi situation after 2003 and established many projects, especially since more than 90% of the water resources originate from outside Iraq," noting that "The great development and increase in population growth carried additional burdens to the ministry for securing drinking and agriculture water." 

He explained that "Security and water are closely connected, and handling the water file is very sensitive," pointing out that "the ministry has developed a strategic study jointly with all state institutions until 2035, and this study needs a great deal of money, but the state's financial situation cannot bear all that."