PM Chairs the 4th Meeting of the Higher National Committee for Water

Baghdad-INA   
Prime Minister Mohammed Shia Al-Sudani, presided the fourth meeting of the Higher National Committee for Water.
 
The Prime Minister's Media Office stated in a statement received by the Iraqi News Agency (INA) that “the meeting addressed water resource status, reviewing the water situation and evaluating the implementation of the agricultural plan based on approved water quotas for the governorates.”
 
The Higher National Committee for Water addressed rectifying water violations along the Tigris River in Baghdad Governorate and the Prime Minister instructed providing funding to the Ministry of Water Resources for stone cladding of the riverbanks parallel to Sindbad Road in Baghdad.
 
The meeting sanctioned the establishment of an environment and water program under the Higher National Committee for Water. It also approved the creation of a fund to support research and initiatives for developing water resources. Additionally, the recommendations from the Ministry of Water Resources addressing water scarcity and its impact on the Tigris, Euphrates, and Shatt al-Arab water quality were endorsed.
 
The meeting covered various agenda items, with a key focus on the Ministry of Foreign Affairs' request to the Turkish side for increased releases from the Euphrates River at the Turkish-Syrian border. Additionally, there was a request for increased releases into the Tigris River from the Ilisu Dam.
 
Baghdad Mayoralty and water departments in all governorates are obligated to collect water fees in accordance with approved pricing and the Higher National Committee for Water decided launching water desalination projects within the current initiatives to improve the quality of drinking water.
 
The Higher National Committee for Water recommended that the Council of Ministers approve measures to address water and flood issues in the Kurdistan Region of Iraq.