Turkish, Iraqi officials to discuss water management

By Haydar Karaalp

BAGHDAD (AA) - Turkey's special envoy to Iraq on Wednesday paid an official visit to Baghdad to discuss water management issues with Iraqi officials.

Taha Dira, Iraq’s deputy water resources minister, and Turkey’s Ambassador to Erbil Fatih Yilmaz welcomed envoy Veysel Eroglu at Baghdad International Airport.

Eroglu, who is also Turkey’s forestry and water affairs minister, will hold talks with Iraqi President Barham Salih, Prime Minister Adel Abd Al-Mahdi, and Water Resources Minister Jamal Adili.

Earlier this month, Eroglu said that Iraqi authorities want Turkey to handle several major water projects in the country.

"They want to prioritize setting up irrigation projects. Proper irrigation can bring down unemployment. Farmers’ income will also grow," he told parliament on July 11.

He added that Iraq also wants portable water projects in Mosul and the capital Baghdad, besides construction of dams and ponds.

This June Turkey set up a group of 51 experts to deal with Iraq’s water issues.

In April, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan underlined that the two countries should work together on water management to prevent a water crisis in the region.

*Writing by Gozde Bayar