Turkish water policy and the Iraqi government's influence in limiting its consequences

Abstract

The water crisis has become one of the most pressing problems facing most countries worldwide, threatening to trigger water wars between states that share a common river basin. Iraq is one such country, and the problems stem from the difficulty of fairly distributing water resources among the riparian states.  The legal definition of an international river aims to mitigate these problems and find solutions by involving other international actors to guarantee the obligations of the riparian states. However, some riparian states still lack a true understanding of the concept of shared water resources and attempt to shift the burden of resolving water allocation issues onto downstream countries or use it as a bargaining chip against their upstream neighbours. Some countries have even sought to change the term "international river" to "international drainage basin" to reflect the worsening effects of water scarcity, rising temperatures, population growth, and the increasing demand for freshwater. The research concluded that Turkish policy towards Iraq, in general, has been characterized by a lack of diplomacy and disregard for the principles of good neighbourly relations. The solution, therefore, lies in involving international actors and adopting a comprehensive approach that goes beyond water management alone, encompassing economic, security, and political dimensions