Baghdad: Today's newspapers have brought attention to significant domestic developments, with a focus on Prime Minister Mohammed Shia Al-Sudani's announcement regarding the imminent implementation of the Development Road Project, alongside updates on the ongoing water crisis and government efforts to mitigate its effects.
According to National Iraqi News Agency, Al-Sabah newspaper, published by the Iraqi Media Network, quoted Al-Sudani announcing that the next phase will witness the actual start of the Development Road route. This announcement came during his leadership of the regular meeting of the project's Higher Committee. Discussions at the meeting included the draft law establishing the authority responsible for the Development Road, Al-Faw Port, and industrial cities, as well as progress in technical and administrative areas, and plans related to railway and highway routes.
The Director General of Ports provided updates on the completion percentages and remaining tasks for the Grand Al-Faw Port, including the road and immersed tunnel. Discussions also involved operation plans and proposals from companies and foreign states. Al-Sudani emphasized the necessity of transitioning from the technical and administrative phase to practical execution and keeping citizens informed about state institutions' efforts in advancing the Development Road's initial stages. The meeting also covered the project's pathway through the Kurdistan Region of Iraq and recent summit outcomes, along with land acquisition issues.
In parallel, Al-Zawraa newspaper, issued by the Iraqi Journalists Syndicate, concentrated on the water crisis in Iraq and strategies to tackle it. An urgent ministerial meeting at the Ministry of Water Resources discussed immediate solutions to address water scarcity and drought. Minister of Water Resources Aoun Thiyab Abdullah highlighted the severe drought Iraq faces, exacerbated by climate change and upstream countries' projects, particularly Turkey, affecting the Tigris and Euphrates Rivers' inflows and the country's environmental and agricultural conditions.
The meeting featured a presentation on current year water inflows compared to last year, storage levels in dams, and their impact on the Tigris and Euphrates basins. It also addressed expected water storage levels, salt concentration rates in the rivers, and efforts to maintain acceptable levels north of Basra city. Minister Abdullah prioritized securing drinking water and maintaining environmental flow levels.
Additionally, the Minister of Environment, Haval al-Askari, addressed river pollution from industrial waste and pollutants, stressing the need for a clear mechanism to curb this issue to protect public health and the aquatic environment.
Meanwhile, Al-Zaman newspaper reported on the agreement between the federal government and the Kurdistan Region regarding oil exports. Oil Minister Hayan Abdul Ghani affirmed the ministry's commitment to boosting production from the Kurdistan Region's oil fields following the agreement's implementation. The pumping process began at the Fishkhabour handover point, with cooperation from Turkey's Botas company to direct crude through the export pipeline to Ceyhan port.
Minister Abdul Ghani noted that current export volumes range between 180,000 and 190,000 barrels per day, with a target of 260,000 barrels per day. Of this, 50,000 barrels are designated for refineries in the Region, and the remainder handed over to the State Oil Marketing Organization (SOMO) for export. Export revenues will be deposited into a dedicated account for the federal Ministry of Finance, with SOMO managing marketing operations under contracts with purchasing companies. The agreement also requires the Region's Ministry of Natural Resources to deliver crude output from 12 oil fields, while SOMO handles marketing as the official Iraqi government arm.