In May 2022, Mustafa Al Kadhimi, the Prime Minister of Iraq, chaired a meeting of the Iraqi Supreme National Water Committee in support of the Federal Ministry of Water Resource’s efforts to address water scarcity. During the meeting, the Prime Minister and delegates discussed recent developments, as well as strategising policies to ensure fair distribution of water resources throughout the country.
Stressing that the climate change crisis had affected water resources in countries all over the world, Prime Minister Moustafa Al Kazemi called for the government and state to start mobilising efforts to implement a water resources distribution plan. The overarching objective of the strategy was to secure water quotas necessary for the cultivation of crops, particularly staple foodstuffs, thereby improving food security.
The meeting concluded with agreement of a set of directives and decisions designed to support the Ministry of Water Resources in tackling the issue of water scarcity, with an emphasis on the imposition of financial allocation monitoring, the implementation of small dam schemes and adherence to the Iraqi government’s established agricultural plan.
In addition to directives to support farmers in affected governates, the meeting also provided an opportunity to discuss best practices in conserving water resources and reducing pollution to ensure adequate access to water provisions for Iraqi citizens.
In July 2020, Prime Minister Al Kadhimi directed the completion of the great reform water project in Dhi Qar. In a statement issued by the General Secretariat of the Council of Ministers, it was suggested that completion of the project would go a long way towards alleviating the lack of safe drinking water in the area.
April 2021 saw the opening of a vertical water reinforcement pumping station in Iraq’s Muthanna Governorate, enhancing the pumping of water from the Euphrates to the Rumaitha River. At the opening ceremony, Prime Minister Mustafa Al Kadhimi explained that the project would contribute to providing liquefaction water to Iraqi citizens, reducing water scarcity during dry seasons. The Prime Minister also pointed out that the scheme would contribute to the revival and development of large tracts of agricultural land in the north of Muthanna Governorate.
In Al-Basra Governorate, Prime Minister Mustafa Al Kadhimi laid the foundation stone for a water pipeline project that formed the cornerstone of the Basra Water Project. According to a statement from the President’s Media Office, the scheme fell within a government framework designed to benefit the people of Basra and improve the level of services provided to them.
Pledging that the hard work would not stop in the face of economic challenges and exceptional circumstances, no matter how great and sustained, Prime Minister Al Kadhimi visited a wastewater treatment plant during his tour of Basra, meeting with working cadres and shaking employees’ hands. During his visit, Mustafa Al Kadhimi acknowledged that the people of Iraq expected a lot from the government to compensate for years of chaos, deprivation and bad management. He laid the foundation stone for the Grand Faw Port, a five-contract project that would include:
- The creation of five containers and sidewalks
- Backfilling of the storage yard
- Container handling and drilling of an inland navigation channel
- Drilling and furnishing of an outer navigational channel
- Creation of a tunnel on Khor Zubair Canal
- Construction of a highway link from the port of Faw
Having gained significant recognition for his role promoting peace and stability in the Middle East by encouraging cross-border cooperation, Prime Minister Mustafa Al Kadhimi has also been lauded for his efforts to ensure domestic stability. Mr Al Kadhimi came to office at a critical moment in the country’s history, with his government confronting the overlapping crises of political paralysis, economic decline and COVID-19. Throughout his tenure, Prime Minister Kadhimi implemented groundbreaking policies to counter corruption and improve living standards for Iraqi citizens.
