Parliament to hold session on water crisis as Iraq faces historic drought

BAGHDAD — Iraq’s parliament will hold a session Monday, Jan. 19, to discuss the country’s worsening water shortages and drought conditions, according to a statement from the legislature’s media department.

The session, the fifth of the first legislative term of the sixth electoral cycle, will feature a general debate attended by the ministers of foreign affairs and water resources, the statement said.

Iraq’s water reserves fell to their lowest levels in about 80 years in 2025, with officials attributing the decline to prolonged drought, climate change and reduced inflows caused by upstream dam projects in Turkey and Iran.

The parliamentary discussion comes amid renewed diplomatic efforts to address the crisis. In early November, Iraq and Turkey signed an executive mechanism for their bilateral water cooperation agreement, which Iraqi officials described as a step toward launching major joint projects to confront the country’s deepening shortages.

The mechanism outlines practical steps for cooperation involving Iraq’s Ministry of Water Resources, the Ministry of Construction, Housing and Municipalities, provincial authorities and Turkish partners. It focuses on four main areas: improving water quality and reducing river pollution, modernizing irrigation systems, rehabilitating agricultural land and strengthening governance in water management and conservation.

Lawmakers are expected to question ministers on current reserve levels, regional negotiations and measures needed to secure sufficient water supplies ahead of the coming summer season.