EU pledges €1.1M to tackle Basra water crisis
Shafaq News – Baghdad
The European Union announced, on Tuesday, the allocation of €1.1M in emergency humanitarian aid to address the worsening water crisis in Basra, southern Iraq.
In a statement, the EU mission in Iraq said the funding will support urgent water, sanitation, and hygiene (WASH) needs over the next six months, targeting the most vulnerable communities. An estimated 500,000 people have been severely affected by deteriorating water quality and limited access to clean water.
The mission noted that many of those impacted live in informal settlements on the outskirts of Basra, where the crisis is most acute. The funding, channeled through the Norwegian Red Cross in partnership with the Iraqi Red Crescent, aims to deliver rapid and effective assistance to the hardest-hit populations.
The EU outlined that the response will focus on restoring and upgrading water supply units in underserved areas, delivering clean water by tanker to remote communities, and improving water treatment systems in locations facing the most severe shortages.
The European Union allocates EUR 1.1 million to address urgent water crisis in Basra, Iraq 🇪🇺🇮🇶https://t.co/1F33xjDtI2 pic.twitter.com/hGkOQ4CgpV
— EU in Iraq 🇪🇺🇮🇶 (@EUinIraq) July 29, 2025
Basra’s water crisis, the worst since 2018, has been fueled by multiple factors, including reduced flow from the Euphrates before it reaches the city, declining levels of the Tigris due to drought, and extensive upstream water usage.
