Iraq on brink of drought: Lawmaker calls for urgent action

Shafaq News/ Iraq is heading into a critical summer drought as water reserves fall and upstream restrictions continue, a member of the Parliamentary Agriculture and Water Committee cautioned on Thursday.

Speaking to Shafaq News, MP Ibtisam Al-Hilali disclosed that the country’s water storage has dropped from 20 to just 10 billion cubic meters, warning of a “direct threat” to both water and food security. She attributed the crisis to ongoing upstream cuts by neighboring countries, which have restricted the Tigris and Euphrates flows.

Al-Hilali also urged the government to intensify diplomatic outreach through the United Nations and push for economic pressure on Turkiye to secure Iraq’s rightful share of cross-border water.

Her remarks followed the Fifth International Water Conference in Baghdad, themed “Water and Technology: A Partnership for Development,” which saw limited regional engagement. At the event, Prime Minister Mohammed Shia al-Sudani introduced a regional initiative to safeguard the Tigris and Euphrates but acknowledged that regional cooperation remains stalled.