“The most difficult year since 1933″… A water agreement “is near” between Iraq and Turkey.
“The most difficult year since 1933″… A water agreement “is near” between Iraq and Turkey.
2025-10-12 05:19
Shafaq News – Ankara
Iraqi Minister of Water Resources, Aoun Diab Abdullah, revealed on Sunday that Iraq has requested that Turkey increase water flows from the Tigris and Euphrates rivers by one billion cubic meters per second for October and November, at a rate of 500 m³/s for each river, to improve water revenues over the next fifty days.
The minister said in a statement during his visit to Ankara, heading an official Iraqi delegation headed by Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs Fuad Hussein, and including the head of the advisory board and specialist cadres from the Ministries of Water Resources, Agriculture, and Environment, as well as representatives from the Kurdistan Region, that the meeting with the Turkish side addressed water resource management and regulating its use to achieve the common interests of the two neighboring countries.
Dhiyab explained that the delegation gave a detailed presentation on the water situation in Iraq and the challenges facing the water resources sector, emphasizing that this year has been the most difficult in the country’s history since 1933. He noted that the Turkish side expressed its willingness to assist Iraq despite its own suffering from the same drought crisis, given that Iraq is a downstream country and is more severely affected.
The minister explained that the two sides had agreed on a draft framework agreement related to water, which will be signed in Baghdad. The agreement includes the implementation of irrigation projects and water harvesting dams, with the participation of major, reputable Turkish companies.
He added that this meeting is part of ongoing efforts to enhance cooperation between Iraq and Turkey and explore ways to manage water resources in a sustainable and equitable manner.
On Saturday, Iraqi Prime Minister Mohammed Shia al-Sudani revealed an imminent agreement with Türkiye to build dams and address the water crisis, while attacking those who spread lies to achieve partisan gains.
On Friday, October 10, a joint official meeting was held in Ankara between delegations from the Republic of Iraq and the Republic of Turkey to discuss the water issue and enhance bilateral cooperation in this vital field, according to a statement issued by the Iraqi Foreign Ministry.
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