Undersecretary for Political Planning Participates in a Seminar on Water Policy in Iraq

Undersecretary of the Foreign Ministry for Political Planning Dr. Hisham Al Alawi, participated in a seminar under the theme “Water Policy in Iraq: Reality and Ambition”, which was held at Bayt Al Hikmah, with the attendance of a large number of researchers, professors, and representatives of the relevant ministries.

Undersecretary Al Alawi indicated the great concern the Ministry’s leadership attaches to the water file, and its continuous efforts to sign bilateral agreements with neighboring countries to guarantee Iraq’s fair share of water resources in the Tigris and Euphrates rivers, within the framework of implementing the priorities of the government program, which includes enhancing Iraq’s bilateral relations with neighboring countries, and protecting the sovereignty and security of Iraq.

The Undersecretary added that the Foreign Ministry is concerned with the water issue, which is considered as one of the national security issues, stressing the current government’s endeavor to intensify negotiations and activate agreements between Iraq, Turkey, and Iran, in addition to implementing several joint projects with these countries to modernize irrigation methods, expand the use of technology, and rivers lining.

Dr. Al Alawi also pointed out the importance of investing leverage on neighboring countries during the negotiation process, especially the large volume of trade exchange between Iraq and Turkey, Iraq and Iran, and presenting projects that can create job and investment opportunities for their companies inside Iraq. In addition to the importance of benefiting from the expertise of other countries known for their interest in water diplomacy, such as Switzerland, the Netherlands, and Sweden.