A member of the Parliamentary Agriculture and Water Committee, Thaer Al-Jubouri, revealed that the establishment of the first water management council in Iraq has begun. Al-Jubouri stated in an interview with "Baghdad Today" that "water remains a top priority for the Agricultural and Water Committee due to the challenges that have emerged in recent years with climate change and the significant decrease in water flow from shared rivers with neighboring countries, which has turned into a pressure tactic to achieve economic benefits for some countries."
He added that "his committee has repeatedly called on Prime Minister Mohammed Shia' al-Sudani to initiate the establishment of a Supreme Water Management Council in Iraq, which will be responsible for managing this strategic file with the necessary authorities." He pointed out that "this establishment was officially initiated a few days ago through defining the administrative structure and legal framework, and it will be announced soon."
Al-Jubouri noted that "unifying the management of the water file along with its challenges and placing it under a council that includes experts and specialists will ensure practical solutions, provide early warning signals, and outline a roadmap for how to optimally exploit the water available in dams, along with suggestions for increasing water storage and making the most of rain and floods."
Iraq has been suffering from a reduction in water flow from upstream countries for years, which has reflected in the lowering of the Tigris and Euphrates rivers. The current government continues to work on resolving the crisis through diplomatic means while also launching a plan to rationalize water use, especially concerning the adoption of modern irrigation methods for agricultural lands.