Iraq, Turkiye hold direct talks on water and climate in Geneva
Iraq and Turkiye held direct talks in Geneva on Tuesday to boost cooperation on water management and environmental issues, amid growing climate pressures and shrinking river flows into Iraq.
The meeting took place on the sidelines of global negotiations to curb plastic pollution. Iraq's Environment Minister Helo al-Askari led the Iraqi delegation and warned that Iraq is facing intensifying environmental threats, driven by reduced upstream water releases and climate change, particularly in the southern provinces.
Al-Askari stressed the need for stronger regional partnerships and ongoing dialogue with neighboring countries—chiefly Turkiye —to address Iraq's water and climate crisis.
The talks focused on joint environmental action, climate adaptation, and sharing strategies for managing scarce water resources. Iraq also backed Turkiye's bid to host the next UN Climate Conference (COP).
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