The 5th Baghdad International Water Conference was held from May 24–26 2025 under the theme of “Water and Technology: Cooperation for Development.”
The event also hosted the 11th Micro Irrigation Conference. The opening speeches of the conference were delivered by the Prime Minister of Iraq, Mohammed Shia' Al Sudani, Iraq’s Minister of Water Resources, Dr. Awn Diab, representatives of international organizations, and President of SUEN, Prof. Dr. Lütfi Akca.
As part of the conference, SUEN organized a panel titled “Bridging Innovation and Policy: Cooperation for Water Efficiency and Climate Resilience in the MENA Region”.
The panel was moderated by Dr. Tuğba Evrim Maden, with opening remarks by Prof. Dr. Lütfi Akca, and Eng. Hussein Alzubedi, Technical Deputy Minister at the Iraqi Ministry of Water Resources.
The panelists included:
• Dr. Martina Klimes – Senior Advisor at the Stockholm International Water Institute (SIWI), Member of the Scientific Programme Committee of World Water Week
• Dr. Marwan Alraggad – Director General, INWRDAM
• Dr. Wissam Khalf Obied – Director General, Dams and Reservoirs Commission, Iraqi Ministry of Water Resources
• Simla Yasemin Özkaya – Advisor for Transboundary Waters and Environment, Turkish Ministry of Foreign Affairs
• Mufleh Al Alaween Abbadi – Regional Water Cooperation Advisor, Swiss Development Cooperation (SDC), Embassy of Switzerland in Jordan
The panel addressed key themes in response to the growing risks posed by water stress and climate change in the MENA (Middle East and North Africa) region, including:
• Integration of innovative technologies and nature-based solutions into water policies
• Dissemination of advanced irrigation techniques and digital tools in agriculture
• Promotion of regional cooperation through public-private partnerships
• Integration of climate adaptation strategies with water governance
• Innovative financing models and exchange of best practices
Additionally, SUEN took part as a panelist in the sessions titled “Bringing the Water Action Agenda to Life in the Arab Region: Smart Transboundary Water Cooperation” organized by UNESCO and SIWI and the session on “Strengthening Regional Dynamics in the Middle East: Evidence-Based Reflections on the Importance of Transboundary Water Cooperation” organized by the Blue Peace Middle East initiative
SUEN President Prof. Dr. Lütfi Akca and Iraq’s Minister of Water Resources Dr. Awn Diab held a bilateral meeting on the sidelines of the conference, underlining the importance of enhancing cooperation in water management, strengthening technical capacity, and sharing experiences between the two countries.
As part of the conference, the 15th Governing Board Meeting of the Blue Peace Middle East initiative was held on May 23, with the participation of board members, the Swiss Development Cooperation (SDC) and other stakeholders.
As SUEN, we remain committed to engaging in platforms that strengthen regional cooperation and knowledge sharing, and to working collaboratively with partner countries through solution-oriented approaches.