Baghdad, Ankara continue talks on Iraq’s water share
A dried-up bank of a water canal in southern Iraq. Photo: AFP
Baghdad (IraqiNews.com) – The Iraqi Ambassador to Turkey, Majid Al-Lajmawi, confirmed on Tuesday that Baghdad and Ankara are continuing their talks regarding Iraq’s water share, according to a statement cited by the Iraqi News Agency (INA).
A statement issued by the Iraqi Foreign Ministry indicated that Al-Lajmawi met with the Iraqi Minister of Water Resources, Aoun Diab Abdullah, where they discussed diplomatic efforts and bilateral meetings between Iraq and Turkey, as well as the latest developments related to the water issue and the water flows of the Tigris and Euphrates rivers.
Abdullah noted that the ministry continues its efforts to guarantee a fair share despite the water scarcity Iraq is facing.
The spokesperson of the Iraqi Ministry of Water Resources, Khaled Shamal, confirmed last month that an Iraqi delegation had been in Ankara for several days to discuss the water issue.
Baghdad appealed to Ankara last March to work on ensuring Iraq’s share of water from the Tigris and Euphrates rivers on the Turkish side and to activate the Memorandum of Understanding ratified in 2021 to enhance cooperation between the two countries.
Shamal clarified earlier that between 200 and 250 cubic meters of water per second reach Iraq when Turkey releases water from the dams it built, according to INA.
Since 2003, Iraq has been suffering from a decline in the water level across the Tigris and Euphrates rivers as a result of the water policies adopted by Turkey and Iran, where they reduce water releases, change the paths of tributaries and build giant dams on the rivers.