Baghdad: Today’s newspapers have highlighted President Abdul Latif Jamal Rashid’s call for the regulation of water quotas between upstream and downstream countries to address climate change and water scarcity challenges. Additionally, Prime Minister Mohammed Shia al-Sudani stressed the government’s dedication to aligning the budget with its implementation priorities.
According to National Iraqi News Agency, President Rashid emphasized the necessity of concluding long-term agreements to ensure fair and optimal use of water resources. During a meeting at Baghdad Palace with the Ambassador of the Kingdom of the Netherlands to Iraq, Janet Alberda, and Dr. Eddie Moers from the Dutch Institute for Water Sciences, the President discussed the importance of developing bilateral relations to achieve mutual progress.
The Presidency’s Media Office released a statement noting that President Rashid underscored the need for cooperation with IHE Delft to address climate and water scarcity issues in Iraq. The President outl
ined ongoing and future strategies for modernizing water management and stressed the importance of sharing expertise and training in irrigation and water management methods.
Ambassador Alberda expressed gratitude for Iraq’s commitment to strengthening bilateral ties and reaffirmed the Netherlands’ support in overcoming Iraq’s water challenges.
On the budgetary front, Al-Zawraa newspaper reported on Prime Minister al-Sudani’s commitment to ensuring the budget prioritizes the government’s schedule of activities. His media office detailed a meeting with the head of the Parliamentary Finance Committee, Atwan al-Atwani, to discuss the upcoming 2025 budget and strategies for funding salaries and expenditures.
Prime Minister al-Sudani emphasized the importance of completing the government’s program, enhancing services, and completing projects to meet citizens’ aspirations across Iraqi governorates. Additionally, he highlighted the role of government and Central Bank boards in financial reforms.
Al-Zaman newspape
r covered the ongoing electricity crisis, reporting unrest in Najaf and Diwaniyah due to power outages. Demonstrators expressed their anger through protests, demanding improved services and accountability from local government officials.
Eyewitnesses described protests in Najaf’s Al-Haidariya and Al-Manathira areas, where demonstrators blocked roads with burning tires, leading to clashes with security forces. In Diwaniyah, residents demanded better electricity services and the dismissal of the current director, Muslim al-Naili.
Electricity Minister Ziyad Ali Fadhil responded by sending the Director of the Middle Euphrates Electricity Distribution to assess the situation in Diwaniyah. Meanwhile, citizens across Baghdad and other provinces complained about the rising costs of generator usage due to insufficient national grid supply.
In response to gas supply issues, a Ministry of Electricity spokesperson revealed ongoing efforts to resolve export challenges from Turkmenistan. The spokesperson noted attempts
to establish a mechanism for transporting gas via Iran to compensate for declining supplies from Tehran, emphasizing Iraq’s continued reliance on imported gas until domestic production meets demand.