Iraqi PM, Iranian Energy Minister hold talks on water scarcity, electricity
The Iraqi Prime Minister, Mohammed Shia Al-Sudani, the Iranian Minister of Energy, Ali Akbar Mehrabian, and the accompanying delegation. Photo: Iraqi News Agency
Baghdad (IraqiNews.com) – The Iraqi Prime Minister, Mohammed Shia Al-Sudani, held talks with the Iranian Minister of Energy, Ali Akbar Mehrabian, about electricity and water scarcity, according to a statement issued on Saturday by the Prime Minister’s press office.
The statement elaborated that Al-Sudani received the Iranian minister and his accompanying delegation in Baghdad where they talked about areas of cooperation, and ways to enhance coordination to overcome the challenges facing the energy sector regionally and internationally.
The meeting addressed the issue of electricity and the supply of electric power to the Iraqi national grid from Iran, the statement illustrated.
Both sides also discussed water scarcity, the effects of dry seasons, and water quotas of shared rivers.
A report issued late last year by the Iraqi Ministry of Water Resources predicted that unless urgent action is taken to combat declining water levels, Iraq’s two main rivers will be entirely dry by 2040, Rudaw News reported.
The UN Environment Program (UNEP) has long warned that water availability in Iraq will decrease by around 20 percent by 2025, threatening the long-term stability of agriculture and industry sectors, Rudaw News added.