Strategic Foresight Group achieved a major breakthrough in developing consensus between multiple stakeholder representatives of Iraq and Turkey on a Plan of Action for promoting exchange and calibration of data and standards pertaining to Tigris river flows. This was a result of a meeting in Geneva on 3 June 2014. It is expected that this breakthrough will contribute significantly to the Blue Peace approach which transforms water from a source of crisis into an instrument of peace. Such a change in the role of water in a challenging region such as the Middle East requires institutional arrangements. The Governments of Iraq and Turkey have on several occasions agreed in principle to promote exchange and harmonisation of water data. The SFG initiative would help the countries to take the agreement in principle ahead to the next level of an operative plan of action. 

SFG, with support from the Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation and Political Directorate of the Swiss Federal Department of Foreign Affairs had organised a meeting between senior representatives of Iraq and Turkey. The delegations comprised of senior advisers of the Prime Ministers, former Cabinet Ministers, Members of Parliament, officials of water ministries and water authorities and experts from Iraq and Turkey.

Dr Yasar Yakis, former Foreign Minister, led the Turkish group while Dr Bakhtiar Amin, former Human Rights Minister, led the Iraqi side. Dr Sundeep Waslekar, President of Strategic Foresight Group, chaired and moderated the discussion that made consensus possible. 

The two delegations will now present the agreed plan of action to the relevant ministries and other authorities from their respective countries. 

SFG has been facilitating dialogue processes between Iraq and Turkey, involving leading policy makers and experts of the two countries. In the last few months, five meetings were held in

• Bern, September 2013
• Amman, November 2013
• Mumbai, December 2013
• Istanbul, March 2014
• Geneva, June 2014 

In these meetings the stakeholders from both countries decided to focus on the Tigris River Basin, as the present situation in Syria does not allow for any basin wide cooperation on the Euphrates. Also, frequent variations in the flow of the Tigris River require cooperation in exchange and harmonisation of data.

To view the Geneva Consensus on Tigris River please click here