President Rashid Returns Home After Attending the UN 2023 Water Conference, in New York

On Monday, March 27, 2023, the President of the Republic of Iraq, Abdullatif Jamal Rashid returned home after participating in the United Nations 2023 Water Conference, hosted in New York.

His Excellency President Rashid alongside other heads of state and delegations attended the opening session of the UN 2023 Water Conference, in New York to discuss the global water crisis and the ways to mitigate the risks.

While addressing the UN 2023 Water Conference, His Excellency President Rashid spoke about the water crisis in Iraq and its effects on the livelihoods of millions of Iraqi people, its significant threats to food security and biodiversity in addition to the negative impact of climate change including lack of rainfall, droughts, and desertification.

President Rashid emphasized that Iraq is bearing the brunt of climate change and extreme weather conditions, including regular floods, droughts, dust storms, and rising temperatures which are beyond our control, in addition to decreased transboundary water flows in the Tigris and the Euphrates rivers.
Iraq shall implement a rigorous water management plan to save water and reduce waste, including infrastructure improvement and introduction of modern systems of irrigation, modernizing the agriculture sector, the President highlighted while calling upon United Nations to take serious action toward minimizing the effects of climate change and enforce transboundary water cooperation to ensure a fair distribution of water.

The President of the Republic of Iraq, Abdullatif Jamal Rashid met with the President of the Republic of Slovenia, Natasa Pirc Musar alongside her delegation, on the sidelines of the UN 2023 Water Conference.

Iraq is taking the issues of water very seriously, and working towards finding sustainable solutions to the water crisis and mitigating the risks of climate change and its dangerous ramifications for the population, His Excellency asserted.

Furthermore, he added that Iraq looks forward to working with its neighbors, the states of the region, and the international community to find common grounds to make use of specialized international experiences on climate change.

The President of the Republic of Iraq, Abdullatif Jamal Rashid took part in an interactive dialogue on transboundary and international water cooperation, which was within the events of the UN 2023 Water Conference in New York.

The world is not on track to implement integrated water resources management at all levels. An estimated 107 countries are not on track to have sustainably managed water resources by 2030, and of the 153 countries sharing transboundary rivers, lakes, and aquifers, only 32 have at least 90 percent of their transboundary basin area covered by operational arrangements for transboundary water cooperation, HE, added.

The President of the Republic of Iraq, Abdullatif Jamal Rashid met with the Director-General of the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), Qu Dongyu, at his residence in New York.

It is vital to carry out irrigation projects, especially in villages and rural areas to encourage the population to go back to their homes, His Excellency President Rashid continued to say it is imperative to establish micro-enterprises in the cities such as Sinjar, and weather stations and watersheds management should be supplied to installations. However, public veterinarian services should be supported by providing medical equipment and laboratories, and therefore, strengthening the positive partnership between Iraq and the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), is a matter of critical importance, HE, added.

The President of the Republic of Iraq, Abdullatif Jamal Rashid met with the Executive Secretary of the United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Western Asia (ESCWA), Rola Dashti, at his residence in New York.
Coordination and joint work with international community organizations is needed to address the negative impacts of the water crisis and climate change, the President highlighted. 

His Excellency asserted that displaced people must be allowed to return to their homes, so viable solutions should be found to their issues, once and for all. Hence collective efforts should be stepped up to rehabilitate infrastructure while the right conditions, including public services, are essential to be provided for them, that help ensure their return to their homes safely, HE added.

The President of the Republic of Iraq, Abdullatif Jamal Rashid met with the Permanent Representative of the United States to the United Nations, Linda Thomas-Greenfield alongside her delegation at his residence in New York.

President Rashid emphasized that there are plans at high levels, aiming to reach viable solutions to the water crisis, and the Iraqi government is taking this issue seriously towards implementing the necessary projects, pending the national budget approval.

His Excellency talked about the issue of the displaced people. Serious actions should be taken as soon as possible to find viable solutions to their issues, once and for all, HE, added, therefore, great efforts should be made by international organizations to help the IDPs to return homes, after ensuring security and a decent life for them.

The President of the Republic of Iraq, Abdullatif Jamal Rashid met the UN Secretary-General, Mr. Antonio Guterres, at the headquarters of the UN in New York.

President Rashid asserted the UN's key role in supporting international efforts and taking effective action that would help mitigate the impacts of climate change and enforce cooperation in the field of transboundary water to ensure a fair ration of water.

The President of the Republic of Iraq, Abdullatif Jamal Rashid met with the Turkish Minister of Agriculture and Forestry, Vahit Kirişci.

The sources of Iraq's rivers and tributaries flow from the borders into Iraq so this requires further cooperation with our neighbours to reach understanding and ensure adequate and equitable water ration for all parties, the President underscored.

Presedent