Environmental activists and organizations face formidable challenges in holding the Iraqi government accountable for water and environmental issues, in part due to the complex nature of the governmental system. Responsibilities for water and pollution management are dispersed across multiple authorities, such as the Ministry of Water Resources, Ministry of Environment, and Ministry of Construction, Housing, Municipalities and Public Works, alongside provincial and Kurdistan Regional Government agencies. This roundtable delves into the complexities of Iraq's water and environmental governance system, exploring the drivers of inefficiency and identifying opportunities for interagency cooperation. While focusing on the case of Iraq, the roundtable will also explore lessons from other MENA countries with similar environmental governance challenges.
Speakers:
- Yousif Muayad (Director General of Climate Change, Ministry of Environment)
- Shayan Kamil (Ambassador, Youth for Accountability in Environmental Governance (YAEG) Program)
- Ali Al-Lami (Advisor to the Prime Minister on Environment and Climate Affairs, Government of Iraq)
- Karwan Sabah Hama-Salih (Director General of Water Resource at the Ministry of Agriculture and Water Resources, Kurdistan Regional Government)
Chair:
- Sameh Al-Muqdadi (Senior Fellow on Water Policy, Institute of Regional and International Studies (IRIS) at the American University of Iraq, Sulaimani)