United Nations Country Team in Iraq Sheds Light on Water Challenges and Promotes Cooperation on World Water Day 2024: Water for Peace

The theme for this year's World Water Day, 'Water for Peace,' resonates strongly with Iraq, where water scarcity, pollution, and unequal access have the potential to create tensions and hinder social and economic development. Iraq is located in an already water-stressed region and faces a host of related challenges. The country's water resources are shared with neighboring countries, rendering transboundary water management as critical for fostering cooperation and maintaining peace.

“The impact of climate change further complicates Iraq’s water situation – as rising temperatures exacerbate water scarcity, jeopardizing agricultural productivity, food security, and public health. Additionally, the degradation of water quality due to pollution and inadequate waste management practices poses a significant threat to human well-being and environmental integrity. This is why the UN continues to work side by side with the Government of Iraq and our partners to mitigate this critical issue,” said Ghulam Isaczai, Deputy Special Representative of the Secretary-General, Resident and Humanitarian Coordinator in Iraq.

Optimizing sustainable water resource management

The United Nations Country Team (UNCT) in Iraq acknowledges that water and sanitation are fundamental human rights, crucial for health, dignity, prosperity, and peace in the pursuit of achieving SDG 6 Clean Water and Sanitation.

The UNCT and the Government of Iraq (GoI) have collaborated to combat growing water scarcity and the deterioration of its quality. With support from international partners and the GoI, it has worked to optimize the sustainable utilization of water resources, enhancing its management, through a project that aims to monitor the Euphrates-Tigris basin through a web- and GIS-based platform, improving water management through the provision of tools that address water supply, quality, access, and the sustainable management of river basins within its territory.

In the south, UN agencies rehabilitated seven major water treatment plants, significantly improving access to potable water for surrounding communities. In the Al Hawizeh Marshlands, the UN along with local governments have empowered crisis-affected communities, enhancing access to clean water through solar photovoltaic (PV) water purification systems and rehabilitated water facilities, enabling approximately 960,000 individuals to gain access to safe drinking water. 

Preserving food and energy systems through innovative practices

As the world commemorates "Water for Peace," there is an urgent need to unite around protecting and conserving our most precious resource. Food and energy systems, economic productivity, and environmental integrity all rely on a well-functioning and equitably managed water cycle. The UNCT has supported the preservation of Iraq’s water resources by increasing and stabilizing water availability at the farm gate, optimizing agriculture and water productivity, through climate-smart agriculture and solar powered irrigation initiatives in southern Iraq, as part of the Water-Energy-Food Nexus. These initiatives stabilize water availability and increase water-use efficiency, improving agricultural yields and profits for rural communities. The UN has also supported Iraq through real-time remote sensing data monitoring land and water productivity, including analysis of water consumption and irrigation system performance.

Supporting the water sector for the most vulnerable

The UNCT continues to support the water sector in addressing water scarcity and achieving impactful results for children and their families through strengthening systems and developing consensus on equitable and inclusive water governance and resource management frameworks; eliminating water pollution and strengthening local markets to increase access to equitable and climate-resilient water, sanitation, and hygiene facilities in communities, schools, and health facilities. It also involves innovating and implementing initiatives to address water scarcity, including efficient water use, wastewater treatment and reuse and rainwater harvesting. At the largest medical complex in Baghdad, the UN supported the GoI to install eight wastewater treatment plants benefiting more than 3.5 million people. Prior to this, over 2,300m3 of untreated water was discharged into the Tigris River daily.  The UNCT is also supporting the national climate change campaign to create awareness on impact of climate change, water scarcity and pollution with a focus on sustainable behavior change communication.

The UN stands side by side in supporting Iraq’s water resource management

On this World Water Day, we call upon all stakeholders, including the government, civil society organizations, private sector entities, and individuals, to prioritize water cooperation as a pathway to peace, stability, and sustainable development. By working together, Iraq and its partners can overcome water-related challenges, ensure equitable access to water resources, and create a prosperous and harmonious future for all.

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For media inquiries, please contact:

Khawla Benaicha, FAO, Khawla.benaicha@fao.org

Zainab Salih, Office of the UN RC and DSRSG for Iraq, zainab.salih@un.org

Alix Reboul-Salze, UNICEF, areboulsalze@unicef.org

Christine Cool, UNDP, christine.cool@undp.org

About World Water Day: World Water Day is celebrated annually on March 22nd and serves as an opportunity to raise awareness about the importance of freshwater and advocate for the sustainable management of water resources. Each year, a specific theme is selected to shed light on critical water-related issues and inspire action at the global, national, and local levels. The work of the UN and the GoI in this space contribute directly to SDG 6/Clean Water and Sanitation.