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Resources: 3 factors in the upstream countries reduced the flows of the Tigris and Euphrates
Sweetened Today, 18:54
Baghdad - INA - Amna Al-Salami
The Ministry of Water Resources clarified, today, Tuesday, the latest details of its discussions with the Turkish and Iranian sides regarding water quotas, while touching on 3 factors in the upstream countries that it said affected the flows of the Tigris and Euphrates waters.
The ministry's spokesman, Ali Radi, told the Iraqi News Agency (INA), that "the water file is very important as a result of the conditions of great scarcity due to the policies of the upstream countries, in addition to being affected by the issue of climate changes," noting that
"the file is directly related to water and food security.".
Radi added, "Negotiations over water with upstream and higher countries are not a result of today, but are long files for decades," noting that
"the file takes two important axes, between them, with regard to Iraq's main revenues, which are concentrated in the Tigris and Euphrates rivers, as well as revenues or rivers received from neighboring Iran. He explained that
"the Euphrates River represents 100% of its revenues from Turkey, passing through Syria and then to Iraq.
As for the Tigris River, approximately 40-45% of its revenues come from the Turkish side, and the remaining percentage is revenues from inside Iraq, and
the most important and influential percentage is from Iran." He pointed out that
"this picture shows that the largest proportion of Iraq's water revenues from outside the borders are from upstream countries." He pointed out that
"the upstream and higher countries have greatly
expanded in the construction of reservoir dams as well as their irrigation projects, which has caused a decrease in Iraq's water revenues, as well as the
large population growth taking place along the river basin, especially in the regions of the upstream countries, and these two factors affect water flows." He pointed out that "the
third factor that caused the lack of revenues is the natural factor represented by climatic changes and global warming, as well as the lack of rain and weak snow cover, which negatively affected the percentage of revenues," stressing that
"Iraq is the most affected country as a downstream country."
He noted that "Iraq has always emphasized in its negotiations the need to share the damage, especially in periods of water scarcity," noting that
"we are still waiting for the Turkish side to implement the promises that were agreed upon during the visits, including the establishment of a research center and the signing of a protocol related to water launches in Degla river".
On the Iranian side, Radi said, "There is a lack of revenues from the main rivers or the main sources of nutrition in the Lower Zab, Sirwan and Diyala River, which has caused a decrease in water reserves, especially in Diyala Governorate, which was greatly affected in addition to Wasit Governorate and down to the Shatt Al-Arab."
He expressed his hope that "the coming period will witness the resumption of these meetings to guarantee Iraq's water rights, whether with Turkey or with Iran."
Resources: 3 factors in the upstream countries reduced the flows of the Tigris and Euphrates
Sweetened Today, 18:54
Baghdad - INA - Amna Al-Salami
The Ministry of Water Resources clarified, today, Tuesday, the latest details of its discussions with the Turkish and Iranian sides regarding water quotas, while touching on 3 factors in the upstream countries that it said affected the flows of the Tigris and Euphrates waters.
The ministry's spokesman, Ali Radi, told the Iraqi News Agency (INA), that "the water file is very important as a result of the conditions of great scarcity due to the policies of the upstream countries, in addition to being affected by the issue of climate changes," noting that
"the file is directly related to water and food security.".
Radi added, "Negotiations over water with upstream and higher countries are not a result of today, but are long files for decades," noting that
"the file takes two important axes, between them, with regard to Iraq's main revenues, which are concentrated in the Tigris and Euphrates rivers, as well as revenues or rivers received from neighboring Iran. He explained that
"the Euphrates River represents 100% of its revenues from Turkey, passing through Syria and then to Iraq.
As for the Tigris River, approximately 40-45% of its revenues come from the Turkish side, and the remaining percentage is revenues from inside Iraq, and
the most important and influential percentage is from Iran." He pointed out that
"this picture shows that the largest proportion of Iraq's water revenues from outside the borders are from upstream countries." He pointed out that
"the upstream and higher countries have greatly
expanded in the construction of reservoir dams as well as their irrigation projects, which has caused a decrease in Iraq's water revenues, as well as the
large population growth taking place along the river basin, especially in the regions of the upstream countries, and these two factors affect water flows." He pointed out that "the
third factor that caused the lack of revenues is the natural factor represented by climatic changes and global warming, as well as the lack of rain and weak snow cover, which negatively affected the percentage of revenues," stressing that
"Iraq is the most affected country as a downstream country."
He noted that "Iraq has always emphasized in its negotiations the need to share the damage, especially in periods of water scarcity," noting that
"we are still waiting for the Turkish side to implement the promises that were agreed upon during the visits, including the establishment of a research center and the signing of a protocol related to water launches in Degla river".
On the Iranian side, Radi said, "There is a lack of revenues from the main rivers or the main sources of nutrition in the Lower Zab, Sirwan and Diyala River, which has caused a decrease in water reserves, especially in Diyala Governorate, which was greatly affected in addition to Wasit Governorate and down to the Shatt Al-Arab."
He expressed his hope that "the coming period will witness the resumption of these meetings to guarantee Iraq's water rights, whether with Turkey or with Iran."
