16 March، 2026
Within its third Ramadan season this year, Al-Rafidain Center for Dialogue (RCD) held a discussion session titled, "The Ministry of Water Resources: Between Iraq's Internal Challenges and Understandings with its Geographic Neighbors." The event hosted Mr. Raed al-Jashami, Administrative Undersecretary of the Ministry of Water Resources; Mr. Hatem Hamid Hussein, Director General of the Planning and Follow-up Department; and Mr. Ali Radhi Thamer, Director General of the National Center for Water Resources Management. The session, held at the Center's Sérgio Vieira de Mello Hall in Najaf, was moderated by media personality Mohammed al-Momen.

The session discussed the most prominent challenges facing the water file, both internally and externally, in light of accelerating climate changes and their negative impact on the future of this issue. Additionally, the discussion addressed challenges related to Iraq's water shares from neighboring countries, as well as the pollution that has affected the Tigris and Euphrates river basins.

The session's dialogue revolved around several key points, most notably:

·        Establishing a new policy to unify management in the water sector by merging the water and sewerage directorates into a single ministry under the authority of the Ministry of Water Resources. This aims to improve coordination and enhance administrative effectiveness.

The sustainable planning for building water reservoirs to face future challenges, particularly with the decrease in rainfall rates during some seasons.