The Iraqi government signed the implementation mechanism for the framework agreement on water cooperation with Turkey on Sunday, November 2, 2025. The signing ceremony was attended by Prime Minister Mohammed Shia al-Sudani and was attended by Foreign Minister Fuad Hussein and his Turkish counterpart, Hakan Fidan. The move was described as "historic," marking the first time water management between the two countries has been formalized.
The agreement represents a sustainable approach to addressing Iraq's water crisis through extensive joint projects in the water sector. It also follows up on discussions held during the previous Turkish president's visit to Baghdad last year. Al-Sudani stated that the water crisis is a global one, and Iraq is among the countries most affected. He emphasized that the financing mechanism agreement will strengthen cooperation with Turkey and serve the mutual interests of both nations.
Following the signing in Baghdad, Iraqi Foreign Minister Fuad Hussein said that the document "transforms previous understandings into a binding framework for water management between Iraq and Turkey." He affirmed that relations between the two countries are based on "history, geography, and shared interests," and that the agreement paves the way for broader cooperation in security, energy, transportation, and other areas.
For his part, Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan expressed his satisfaction with the signing of the agreement, stating that "this is the first agreement regulating water management between Baghdad and Ankara, and it represents the largest investment in the water sector in Iraq's history." He added that "the region's vast resources should be a basis for cooperation and development, not for competition and hindering common interests."
Meanwhile, the Iraqi Ministry of Water Resources confirmed that the country receives less than a third of its water share from neighboring countries, and that water reserves have dropped below 6%. The government continues its "exceptional efforts" to manage the water scarcity and is negotiating with Turkey to increase water releases.
Khaled Shamal, spokesperson for the Ministry of Water Resources, stated that "Iraq has made the water issue a matter of sovereignty, and it will be a key element in any future agreement with Turkey." He explained that "more than 70% of Iraq's water revenues come from outside its borders, 50% of which are from Turkey," adding that Iraq needs to increase the flow to 500 cubic meters per second in the Tigris and 300 cubic meters per second in the Euphrates to secure agricultural plans, drinking water, and environmental needs.
Shamal continued, stating that the ministry "began pumping water from Lake Tharthar two years ago to bolster the Euphrates River," revealing that "the past four years have witnessed a scarcity of rainfall and a significant decline in dam reservoirs." He added that ongoing governmental, judicial, and security campaigns are underway to remove encroachments and improve water quality in the southern governorates, given the rising salinity in the Shatt al-Arab due to reduced flow and the intrusion of saltwater.
Iraq hopes that the new agreement will pave the way for a tangible increase in water releases from Turkey and the launch of joint projects in water resource management and irrigation infrastructure improvement. The government maintains that this step is part of a long-term strategy to address the water crisis, which it considers a key national security issue.
A historic water management agreement is being implemented for the first time between Türkiye and Iraq.
