Former Minister: We have entered the stage of water poverty, and Turkey and Iran are investing in po

[size=52]Former Minister: We have entered the stage of water poverty, and Turkey and Iran are investing in political paralysis in Iraq[/size]

[size=45]The former Minister of Water Resources, Mohsen Al-Shammari, confirmed that Iraq has entered the stage of water poverty, and it needs to increase financial allocations, amend legislation and modify the methods of managing the water file.[/size]
[size=45]Al-Shammari said that Turkey and Iran “exploit political paralysis and sharp divisions in Iraq and act individually in their favor at the expense of Iraq’s interest in the water file, and their policies within their borders at the sources of the Tigris and Euphrates are not subject to international law.”[/size]
[size=45]He explained that "the issue of dams is not a necessity, but what is necessary now is to modify the irrigation techniques in Iraq, and to talk with Turkey and Iran in a balanced manner, and not in the way that has become useless."[/size]
[size=45]He added: The revenues of the Tigris and Euphrates rivers decreased by half, and perhaps to more than half, from about 60-70 billion cubic meters to less than 40 billion cubic meters, and this represents the limit of water poverty in Iraq. This decline comes from three reasons, the first is mismanagement and the inability of allocations, and the second is the failure of legislation to keep pace with the new challenges that are global warming and climate challenges at the level of the region and the world, in addition to the third reason is the policy of Turkey and Iran, which exploit political paralysis and sharp divisions in Iraq and act Individually, in their interest at the expense of Iraq's interest in the water file, and their policies within their borders in the sources of the Tigris and Euphrates are not subject to international law.[/size]
[size=45]He continued: The water map in Iraq now does not need to build dams, because the storage quantities inside Iraq are not in excess and critical. From Kirkuk, Nineveh and Anbar down to Basra, we need to modify irrigation techniques as well as amend legislation and address solid, chemical, physical and biological pollution in the Tigris and Euphrates.[/size]
[size=45]He stressed: Drought to zero is unlikely, but Iraq has entered into water poverty, due to mismanagement, global warming and climate change, and the unilateral policy of Iran and Turkey. The water poverty limit is 1000 cubic meters per person per year. If we calculate 40 billion cubic meters divided by 40 million Iraqi citizens, it means that we have entered the water poverty limit in Iraq. Population growth in Iraq is increasing, so we need to regulate population growth, in addition to increasing financial allocations, amending legislation and modifying methods of managing the water file.[/size]
[size=45]And he indicated that: The storage capacity in Iraq now reaches 90-100 billion cubic meters, and most of the year in which we witnessed rain was absorbed by dams such as Tharthar, Al-Habbaniyah, Dukan, Darbandikhan and Mosul, in addition to small dams such as Hamrin and Al-Azim. The issue of dams is not a necessity. Rather, what is necessary now is to modify the irrigation techniques in Iraq, and to talk with Turkey and Iran in a balanced manner, not in the way that has become useless. Iran and Turkey do not hear from Iraq about the water issue. The Iraqis are now in a state of complete paralysis or helplessness regarding this issue. Iraq's approach and strategy towards these two neighboring countries must change.[/size]
[size=45]He pointed out that: the proportion of pollutants and solids in the waters of the Tigris and Euphrates rivers entering Iraq has doubled or tripled, the governorates’ damage from contaminated water is divided into two parts. Affected by pollution includes the governorates of Babil, Diwaniyah, Muthanna, Dhi Qar, Wasit, Maysan and Basra, knowing that the governorates of Dhi Qar, Maysan and Basra are the most affected in terms of water pollution.[/size]
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