We reject exploitation of water for political purposes – Iraqi official
ERBIL, KRI, Iraq (North Press) – Faiq Zidan, Head of the Supreme Judicial Council in Iraq, stated on Saturday that the exploitation of water for political purposes is unacceptable and “contradicts human values.
His remarks came during the opening of the emergency meeting of the Arab Lawyers’ Union in Baghdad, marking the latest statement by a senior Iraqi official regarding disputes over water shares with neighboring countries, particularly Turkey.
Despite not explicitly mentioning Turkey (the country from which the Tigris and Euphrates rivers originate), Zaidan’s statement comes in light of the continuous demands from Iraq and Syria to increase water flow from these rivers. The water levels of the Tigris and Euphrates have considerably declined in both countries over the past few years, reaching less than half of their previous levels.
Zaidan stated that the weaponizing water for political purposes contradicts international conventions.
During the Third Baghdad International Water Conference held in May, Prime Minister Mohammed Shia al-Sudani emphasized that the decline in water levels of the Euphrates and Tigris rivers requires urgent international intervention. He described water scarcity as a “serious threat” to Iraq.
The flow rate from the Euphrates River to Syria has been limited to 200 cubic meters per second, which is a serious breach of the 1987 water-sharing agreement signed with Syria and Iraq under the United Nations’ supervision. The agreement stipulates Turkey’s permanent commitment to pumping 500 cubic meters of water per second from the river towards Syria.
Syria and Iraq have accused Turkey of withholding water in large dams within its territory, which they argue violates international conventions. They further say that Turkey is using water as a geopolitical tool to exert pressure on both countries.
The President of the Supreme Judicial Council emphasized that the right to water can be internationally claimed by formulating agreed-upon legal frameworks among Arab countries. He stressed that these frameworks should be built on the principle of recognizing the right to water as a fundamental natural right.