Stabilising Iraq's Water Supply: what the Euphrates and Tigris rivers can learn from the Indus

The future stability of the young and relatively weak Iraqi government rests on its ability to provide basic public goods-water, food, and electricity-to its populace, which is related directly to stabilising the quality and quantity of its available water supply. Since 98% of Iraq's water come...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Third world quarterly 2006-09, Vol.27 (6), p.1041-1058
Main Author: Zawahri, Neda A
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Cooperation
Dams
Developing countries
Electricity
Government officials
International agreements
International relations
Iraq
Mediation
Negotiation
Public goods
River water
Rivers
Stability
Tributaries
Water consumption
Water management
Water quality
Water resources
Water Supply
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Summary:The future stability of the young and relatively weak Iraqi government rests on its ability to provide basic public goods-water, food, and electricity-to its populace, which is related directly to stabilising the quality and quantity of its available water supply. Since 98% of Iraq's water comes from the Euphrates and Tigris rivers, both of which originate and flow through several countries before entering Iraq, stabilising the water supply becomes an international issue. In other words, to stabilise Iraq's water supply, there needs to be a comprehensive agreement between the states sharing the Euphrates and Tigris. As this article argues, an agreement is possible when states have an interest in co-operation, a neutral mediator facilitates the negotiations, and a river commission is established to maintain long-term co-operation. Due to important changes today the states sharing the Euphrates and Tigris rivers confront favourable conditions that can lead to an agreement.
ISSN:0143-6597
1360-2241
DOI:10.1080/01436590600850467