Iraq requests Turkey to increase water releases to 500 cubic meters per second

Shafaq News / Minister of Agriculture Abbas Jaber Al-Maliki called on the Turkish side to increase water releases to 500 cubic meters per second on Sunday, emphasizing Iraq's "significant" shortage of water levels in the Tigris and Euphrates rivers.

During his meeting with the Turkish Ambassador to Baghdad, Ali Reza Guney, and his accompanying delegation, they discussed the agricultural relations between the two friendly countries and the prospects for their development in various fields, according to a statement from the Ministry of Agriculture.

Al-Maliki stated, "We want these relations to grow and prosper despite the challenges, including harsh climate changes and the water crisis faced by Iraq, which negatively impacted its agricultural situation. The friendly Turkish side should understand Iraq's water needs and increase water releases to 500 cubic meters per second, as promised by the Turkish Foreign Minister during his recent visit to Baghdad."

Ambassador Guney expressed his pride in the continuous communication with the Iraqi Ministry of Agriculture, considering it a crucial criterion for Iraqi-Turkish relations.

He also expressed Turkey's readiness to cooperate with Iraq on water-related issues, attributing the decrease in water releases from the Turkish side to the phenomenon of global warming affecting both Turkey and Iraq, as well as other countries in the region.

Ambassador Guney also commended Iraq's transition programs towards modern irrigation methods, which have significantly progressed under this ministry.

At the end of the meeting, the Minister of Agriculture proposed a unified agricultural roadmap with the Turkish side for mutual export of agricultural produce between the two parties in times of abundance, similar to the quadrilateral memorandum of understanding that brought together Iraq, Syria, Jordan, and Lebanon.

Additionally, he invited Turkish companies to participate in the agricultural exhibition organized by the Ministry of Agriculture at the beginning of the coming year. Both parties agreed to exchange visits and share expertise in the areas of water and modern agricultural techniques, benefiting the agricultural realities of the neighboring countries, as per the statement.

Iraq ranks fifth among the countries most affected by climate change according to the United Nations. Since 2020, it has faced a severe escalating water crisis due to rainfall scarcity and the "water war" launched by upstream countries (Turkey, Iran, and Syria).

This crisis reached its peak this year, with unprecedented decreases in the water levels of the Tigris and Euphrates rivers. In some areas, the riverbeds have completely dried up, making it impossible for water stations to draw water for their cycles.

Water levels have dropped significantly, and dams, lakes, and reservoirs have reached alarmingly low levels. The southern marshes have turned into dry lands.