From New York.. The Iraqi President calls for joint management of water resources
From New York.. The Iraqi President calls for joint management of water resources
2023-03-24 22:59
Shafaq News / The Iraqi President, Abd al-Latif Rashid stressed, on Friday, the need to accelerate progress in the field of water cooperation, noting that managing available water resources more efficiently and effectively by the riparian countries is important for the country.
This came during the participation of the President of the Republic in the interactive dialogue session on international cooperation in the field of transboundary waters within the activities of the United Nations Water Conference held in New York, according to a statement received by Shafaq News agency.
Rashid said, “The world is not currently on the right track towards implementing integrated water resources management plans at all levels,” noting that “estimates indicate that (107) countries are not on the right track to manage water resources in a sustainable manner by 2030.”
He added, “Among the (153) countries that share transboundary rivers, lakes, and aquifers, there are only (32) countries that have at least 90 percent of the transboundary basin area following the implementation of operational procedures for cooperation in the field of transboundary water.”
Rashid pointed out, “Iraq is facing a real water crisis, as, over the past forty years, the water flowing from the Tigris and Euphrates rivers, which provide up to (98%) of surface water for Iraq, has decreased by (30-40%), causing He caused the drying up of the marshes in southern Iraq, which were included in the World Heritage List.
He explained that “the agricultural sector suffered seriously from a shortage of fresh water, and citizens also suffered healthily from drinking salty and polluted water,” stressing that “the low level of river water led to the leakage of sea water into the Shatt al-Arab, and also led to a rise in salinity, which is now threatening the sector.” agriculture in the province of Basra.
The Iraqi President noted that “the rise in salinity levels seriously threatens livelihoods and entire local communities,” expecting that the challenges that Iraq faces in terms of improving cooperation with upstream countries on the flow of transboundary water will continue, with the increasing demand for more water in those countries as well. “.
He continued, “Therefore, it is important for Iraq and the riparian countries to manage the available water resources more efficiently and effectively,” noting in this context that there is no agreement or consensus at the present time at the basin level between the riparian countries with regard to managing the Tigris and Euphrates rivers.
In conclusion, Rashid strongly encouraged all countries to follow Iraq in joining both the United Nations Convention (1997) on the Law of the Non-navigational Uses of International Watercourses, and the Convention (1992) for the Protection and Use of Transboundary Watercourses and International Lakes, as well He called on the international community to “sincerely promote the implementation of target (6.5) of the Sustainable Development Goals.”
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