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Iraq sets off alarm bells after acute water shortage in Tigris and Euphrates rivers due to water flow decrease from Turkey, Syria and Iran into Iraq.
Iraq's Water Resources Ministry called on Monday for talks with Turkey and Syria after the water flow in Euphrates River declined. The Ministry declared in a statement that it urges to meet urgently with the three countries’ Ministers and experts this coming August to tackle water sharing.
The statement also confirmed that Euphrates' flow to Iraq "in the Hassaiba region near the Iraq-Syria border is very low. Moreover, for the last 10 days flow rates have not exceeded 250 cubic meters per second (m3/s) and these quantities are not sufficient for agriculture and other needs”, the statement said.
Minister of Water Resources Jamal Rasheed Abdul Latif pointed out that Iraq needs a water flow of 500 m3/s m to fulfill 50% of its requirements including rice irrigation and mineral water necessities.
Earlier last month, the Ministry had declared that Turkey increased water flow to Euphrates by 50% reaching 75m3/s, equaling Iraq’s demand of water to cultivate rice in the middle and the south of the country.
On the political level, MP Karim Al- Yaqoubi from Isalmic virtue Party (Al- Fadhila Party) stressed out that all attempts by Iraqi officials to convince Turkey to increase water flow failed despite the Partnership Trade Agreement signed by both Iraqi and Turkish governments. Yet, Parliament refuses to ratify this agreement unless it stipulates an article guaranteeing Iraqi water share.
For his part, Jamal Al-Battikh, Member of Water Parliamentary Committee criticized the Government’s performance in trying to reach an agreement with Turkey and Iran over water. Moreover, Turkey and Iran shut 30 affluents into Iraq which caused complete drought in some agricultural areas.
In his turn, Al-Jabayesh District Governor in Dhi Qar, Kazem Malek, said that 100 families flew Ahwar region due to water shortage affecting their source of living relying on fish and candy canes.
Furthermore, Mekdad Yasiri, head of the Farmers Cooperative in the province stressed out that water shortage in Euphrates River and Ahwar had put an end to rice cultivation thus harming farmers sustaining from this crop.
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