Peregraf- Mark Savaya, the U.S. President’s Special Envoy to Iraq, on Sunday welcomed the newly signed Iraq–Turkey water agreement, calling it a “significant step” toward strengthening regional cooperation and securing access to increasingly scarce water resources.
“Congratulations to both nations: The Republic of Iraq and the Republic of Turkey,” Savaya said in an official statement.
He commended Baghdad and Ankara for reaching the accord aimed at addressing shared water management challenges, noting that the agreement will help protect the livelihoods of millions of Iraqis affected by drought and water shortages.
“The U.S. reaffirms its strong commitment to supporting Iraq and its people in their pursuit of greater stability, prosperity, and a sustainable environment,” he added.
First Implementation Mechanism Released
His remarks came a day after Iraq and Turkey signed their first-ever official water-sharing agreement. On Monday, Iraq’s state news agency INA published the detailed mechanism for implementing the cooperation framework.
The document outlines how the two countries intend to coordinate on water-sector development, undertake major shared projects, and establish long-term governance structures. Officials say the mechanism is a critical milestone toward managing one of the region’s most threatened resources.
The new framework builds on years of prior deals, including a 2014 MoU between Iraq’s Ministry of Water Resources and Turkey’s Ministry of Forests and Water Affairs. Though the MoU entered into force in 2021, most of its terms stalled until renewed diplomatic momentum followed Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan’s April 2024 visit to Baghdad — considered a turning point in bilateral water relations.
After more than a year of technical consultations, the final mechanism was signed on November 2, 2025.
Five Key Principles
According to INA, the mechanism rests on five main pillars:
1. Joint Advisory Team – To identify priority water projects requested by the Iraqi side.
2. Competitive Contracting – Turkish and Iraqi companies may bid jointly; oversight by Finance, Planning and Water Resources ministries.
3. Oil-Based Financing – Funding through oil sales at international prices to a Turkish buyer approved by SOMO.
4. Profit-Sharing – If the buyer resells Iraqi oil at higher European prices, Iraq will receive 65% of additional profit.
5. Sales Procedures – All oil sales to follow SOMO rules; mechanism remains valid for the duration of the agreement.
‘Historic’ Signing in Baghdad
The broader agreement was signed in Baghdad on Sunday under the supervision of Iraqi Prime Minister Mohammed Shia’ al-Sudani, who called it a “historic milestone” — the first official document regulating water relations between Baghdad and Ankara.
Sudani said it would enable “a package of major joint water projects” to ease Iraq’s worsening water crisis, which has devastated agriculture and fueled desertification across the country — including in the Kurdistan Region.
Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan described the deal as “very important” after meeting his Iraqi counterpart Fuad Hussein. He said the roadmap will focus on modernizing water management systems and improving cross-border flow.
Six Major Projects
Iraq’s Ministry of Water Resources says the deal includes six priority projects: three small dams capable of storing between 5–10 million cubic meters each, to capture runoff, prevent flash flooding, and support farming; the remaining projects will focus on land reclamation.
Ministry spokesperson Khalid Shamal added that Baghdad has requested Turkey to increase water releases from both the Tigris and Euphrates rivers to 500 cubic meters per second, potentially rising to one billion cubic meters. He said water security has become a “sovereign priority.”
Water Crisis Deepens
Iraq is currently enduring one of its worst water shortages in a century, driven by upstream damming, climate change, and internal mismanagement. Farmers and rural communities have been especially hard-hit.
A recent investigation by Peregraf found that more than 1,650 natural springs have dried up in the Kurdistan Region, groundwater in Erbil has dropped by up to 500 meters since the 1990s, and water levels in the Dukan and Darbandikhan dams have plunged to record lows.
Water expert Dr. Abdullah Botani warned that without intervention, “both surface and groundwater are at risk.”
Analyst Sarmad Latif said Iraq now ranks “among the lowest globally in water security,” urging stronger planning.
Urgent Cooperation Needed
Because most of Iraq’s surface water originates in Turkey and Iran, officials say regional cooperation is essential. Further technical negotiations are expected to clarify timelines and project scopes.
For millions of Iraqis confronting shrinking rivers, dying farmland, and expanding desertification, the stakes could not be higher. While challenges remain, the new Iraq–Turkey water cooperation agreement — welcomed by the U.S. — represents the most advanced pathway yet toward stabilizing Iraq’s fragile water future.