Iraq and Turkey to sign ‘first of its kind’ joint water management agreement

BAGHDAD — Iraq and Turkey announced Sunday in Baghdad that they will sign a new document outlining how the two countries will manage shared water resources.

Iraqi Foreign Minister Fuad Hussein said during a joint press conference in Baghdad with his Turkish counterpart that “relations between Iraq and Turkey are historic,” adding that “Minister Fidan’s visit to Baghdad is focused on the issue of water, which is of mutual importance to both countries.”

Hussein said the two sides discussed the water file in detail, noting that “there are 26 memorandums of understanding between Iraq and Turkey covering various fields.” He added, “A document on how to manage water with Turkey will be signed,” and confirmed that “Iraq supports the talks between Turkey and the Kurdistan Workers’ Party, and we hope for a solution that satisfies everyone.”

Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan said the upcoming agreement on water is “the first of its kind,” emphasizing Turkey’s full support for Iraq in “security, stability, development, and reconstruction.”

“We discussed in Baghdad joint work in the fields of water and trade,” Fidan said. “The agreement we will sign with Iraq today on water is the first of its kind.”

He added that Turkey “fully supports Iraq in the fields of security, stability, development, and reconstruction,” and that Ankara is “working directly with the Iraqi authorities to combat terrorism.”

Fidan said several additional agreements will also be signed that “will open the way for improving water infrastructure.” He added, “We have fruitful cooperation with Iraq in the field of energy,” and said the “terror-free Turkey project will bring security to the region.”

“There will be cooperation at the highest level between the countries of the region, as it should be,” Fidan said, thanking “Iraq’s top leadership, especially the prime minister, for advancing the development agenda.”

The announcement follows earlier discussions between the two foreign ministers on Oct. 11, when Hussein said Iraq and Turkey were close to signing a framework agreement on water management and expected the signing to take place in Baghdad soon. At the time, Iraq’s Foreign Affairs Ministry said the talks aimed to address the country’s worst water crisis in eight decades, with reserves at their lowest levels in 80 years due to climate change, drought, and upstream dam projects in Turkey and Iran.

During that meeting, Hussein said bilateral discussions had been ongoing for two years, resulting in a draft framework for long-term cooperation on water management and the involvement of Turkish companies in related projects. Fidan confirmed that a joint committee had been working to address Iraq’s water shortage, particularly in Basra, Mosul, and other cities, describing the problem as a shared challenge caused by climate change and drought.

Iraq is facing its worst water crisis in eight decades, with reserves at their lowest levels in 80 years following a dry rainy season. Officials have blamed climate change, drought, and upstream dam projects in Turkey and Iran for the shortages.