UN Ocean Conference: Iraqi President urges global climate, water action
Shafaq News/ On Monday, Iraqi President Abdul Latif Jamal Rashid called for urgent global action on climate and water security during his speech at the UN Ocean Conference (UNOC3), held June 9–13 in Nice, France.
Rashid arrived in France on Sunday with First Lady Shanaz Ibrahim Ahmed, Deputy Prime Minister Fuad Hussein, and senior officials for the summit, co-hosted by France and Costa Rica.
At the high-level session, Rashid warned that Iraq faces a “severe and growing water crisis” fueled by climate change and poor cross-border water management, blaming shrinking flows from the Tigris and Euphrates rivers for decimating agriculture and triggering internal displacement.
He reaffirmed Iraq’s commitment to multilateral efforts against climate threats, stressing that worsening water shortages are deepening food insecurity and economic hardship nationwide.
رئيس الجمهورية @LJRashid: إن محيطاتنا وبحارنا تمثل القلب النابض لكوكب الأرض ورئته التي لا غنى عنها؛ فهي تُنتج أكثر من نصف الأوكسجين الذي نتنفسه، وتحتضن معظم التنوع البيولوجي على سطح الأرض، وتسهم بدور جوهري في تنظيم المناخ العالمي. pic.twitter.com/xLpE8pPVDm
— رئاسة جمهورية العراق (@IraqiPresidency) June 9, 2025
Framing ocean degradation as a security challenge, Rashid urged an integrated global response. “Oceans and seas are more than natural wonders; they are complex ecosystems that stabilize our climate, support food security, generate livelihoods, and regulate the Earth’s water cycle.”
The Iraqi President outlined key priorities: increasing sustainable ocean investment, restoring marine ecosystems, expanding hydrological and oceanic mapping, closing legal loopholes in high seas governance, and securing fair water-sharing deals.
He also pressed for implementation of the High Seas Treaty and the inclusion of water and climate strategies in national development plans—especially in vulnerable nations.
“Together, let us unite with purpose and determination to protect our oceans and secure a sustainable, equitable future for all who depend on them.”
Rashid concluded by thanking France, Costa Rica, and the UN Secretariat, expressing hope the summit would lead to stronger global coordination on climate and water issues.
