Iraq, Turkey Seal Plan To Implement Water Deal, Launch Joint Projects
By The Media Line Staff
Iraq and Turkey on Sunday signed an executive mechanism in Baghdad to implement a bilateral water-cooperation agreement, advancing a 10-year plan to manage the Tigris and Euphrates river systems and ease Iraq’s mounting shortages. The document was signed by Iraqi Foreign Minister Fuad Hussein and visiting Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan after talks with senior Iraqi officials on next steps and timelines.
Prime Minister Mohammed Shia’ al-Sudani welcomed the move as “one of the sustainable solutions to the water crisis in Iraq,” and said it will be delivered through “joint major project packages” in the water sector, according to his office. The government says the mechanism is meant to translate broad commitments into work plans on monitoring, storage, irrigation efficiency, and rehabilitation of key infrastructure.
At the presidency, Abdul Latif Rashid urged “a fair and balanced approach to water sharing that safeguards Iraq’s established rights in the Tigris and Euphrates rivers,” adding, “We must enhance water management practices to reduce waste and achieve long-term sustainability.”
The 10-year management plan, signed in 2024, seeks to coordinate releases from Turkish dams with Iraq’s downstream needs while modernizing Iraqi canals and reducing losses from leakage and evaporation. Iraq’s water stress has been driven by a mix of upstream regulation, years of drought linked to climate variability, aging infrastructure, rapid population growth, and rising demand from agriculture. Turkey says new storage and metering on its side, paired with Iraqi efficiency upgrades, can stabilize seasonal flows.
Officials did not publish immediate figures for target releases or project budgets, but both capitals described the mechanism as a platform for phased implementation and technical verification.
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