Water policies and the field of relations - the Euphrates River as a model

Abstract

Water is of great importance, as it is considered essential to life. This study discusses the water resources crisis in Iraq, focusing on water as a renewable natural resource, with particular emphasis on the Euphrates River as a case study to examine the impact of regional water policies. The research examines the dual challenges facing Iraq. As the upstream country, Turkey possesses a geographical and strategic advantage in the form of complete control over the Tigris-Euphrates River in Iraq, as well as over Syria, from whose territory the Euphrates River originates. This threatens the security and safety of the water resource due to the failure of the countries sharing the rivers with Iraq to adhere to the agreements concluded regarding the waters of the Euphrates. This, in turn, has had negative effects on agricultural production in Iraq, which has begun to decline due to the decreasing amounts of available water resulting from global climate change and the water policies of the upstream countries. This study aims to analyze the dimensions of the water crisis and its geopolitical, economic, and security implications, while reviewing the measures taken by successive Iraqi governments and the available solutions to ensure water sustainability and food security in light of projections indicating a sharp decline in water resources by 2040.