UN Resident Coordinator and Humanitarian Coordinator visits Basra and Thi-Qar to discuss support needed to combat water scarcity and climate change

Ms. Vojáčková-Sollorano was accompanied by H.E. Mr. Michel Rentenaar, Ambassador to the Netherlands,  Mr. Edvard George from the Swedish International Development Cooperation Agency, Mr. Ally Raza Qureshi, United Nations World Food Programme (WFP) Representative, Mr. Junaid Sorosh-Wali, United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) Ms. Sheema Sen Gupta, United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF) Country Representative, and Ms. Zena Ali Ahmad, United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) Resident Representative, as well as representatives from the United Nations Mine Action Service (UNMAS) and the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) and a representative from the UN Assistance Mission in Iraq.

During her three-day trip in southern Iraq, from 21 to 23 February 2022, the Resident Coordinator met with a wide range of partners, including government officials and representatives of civil society, and conducted joint site visits to several UN projects. Together with H.E. Michel Rentenaar, Netherlands Ambassador to Iraq, Mr. Edvard Thorfinn George, Swedish International Development Agency, Mr. Qureshi, Ms. Sen Gupta, and Ms. Ali Ahmad, Ms. Vojáčková-Sollorano Governor of Thi-Qar H.E. Mr. Mohammed Hadi Al-Ghazi, with the Basra Director-General of Water, Mr. Zuhair Jawad Hashim, Basra Director-General of Education, Mr. Muslim Abdulkareem Naser, academics and representatives from various fields such as agriculture, food and energy to discuss the current climate challenges facing communities in Basra and Thi-Qar . The latest development projects that use innovative climate smart practices and eco-friendly technologies that improve water supply, sanitation and irrigation service delivery in Basra were also discussed.

“Water is at the core of sustainable development and is critical for socio-economic development and healthy ecosystems. Water is the common thread that connects all aspects of our life and one of the major issues in tackling climate change. Without urgent action, water shortages will not only cause large losses across multiple sectors of the economy, but affect more vulnerable people. More needs to be done to secure water resources and limit the impacts of water scarcity on economy, society, and environment,” said Resident Coordinator Vojáčková-Sollorano.

The delegation visited the Anwar Al Zahraa school, which is the first school in Basra equipped with a desalination unit powered by solar energy. UNICEF will provide solar operated water units to 100 schools, with generous funds from the Netherlands, to ensure that more children have access to safe and quality drinking water.

They also visited several water complexes, where UNDP, jointly with UNICEF is implementing a water management project with generous support from the Netherlands. The project focuses on improving access to safe drinking water in Basra by rehabilitating four major non-functional water treatment complexes, focusing on those who are most vulnerable and ensuring that almost a million residents of Basra governorate have sustainable access to safe water. These resources will help the Directorate of Water in its conservation efforts by equipping it with smart devices to measure water consumption, track leakages, and put a stop to any waste.

“Access to clean and safe water is a basic human right, and this access can only be ensured when there is a good water management system in place. The Netherlands is very pleased to help by sharing our extensive expertise in this field and contributing to improving the lives of citizens in Basra,” explained Ambassador Rentenaar.

Ms. Vojáčková-Sollorano visited WFP’s Greenhouse and Solar Water Pump projects in Basra to meet some of the 4,500 farmers benefiting from these initiatives. The projects have significantly increased land use and productivity in the area. Solar-powered water pump technology not only improves water security in drought prone areas, but also reduces air pollution and protects the environment. WFP’s climate change-focused resilience projects in southern Iraq aim to support vulnerable communities’ abilities to withstand climate change effects and positively impact upon their livelihoods and food security, while also working jointly with Government of Iraq partners at national and local levels to build capacities to provide support to vulnerable households.

In the Mesopotamian Marshes, where FAO in cooperation with the Ministry of Agriculture are supporting   and improving production practices that are directly linked to the livelihoods of the communities living inside and around the  Marshes, in addition to the implementation of activities that are promoting its  restoration and at the same time  reducing the degradation of its natural resources, Resident Coordinator Vojáčková-Sollorano stated “Look no further than the low elevations of the rivers, water shortage, desertification, salination, loss of biodiversity or the record-setting heat waves-- climate change is already here and Iraq is one of the countries considered most vulnerable to its effects. From providing clean and safe water sources using solar energy, to establishing quality health and community infrastructure, to creating sustainable livelihood opportunities– the UN has made a positive impact across Thi-Qar and Basra governorates. But more needs to be done and the UN stands ready to support the Government of Iraq in fighting climate change.”

The marshes are of fundamental importance because of their ecological and economic value and unique characteristics. The UN interventions to preserve and restore the marshes include improving the adoption of water efficient and climate smart agriculture practices and technologies, by enhancing water management practices and efficient irrigation technologies; drought-tolerant crop varieties and job creation.

Along with H.E. Mr. Michel Rentenaar, Ms. Vojáčková-Sollorano visited Shatt al-Arab region where UNMAS Iraq has cleared landmines and other forms of explosive ordnance over 536,800 m2 of land since 2021 in Basra. There they met with female deminers who are clearing the land in order to increase agricultural opportunities.

Resident Coordinator Vojáčková-Sollorano led the local ‘Area Based Coordination’ (ABC) meeting in Basra with UN, government and local partners, which coordinates all actors, UN and NGOs, working on water and agriculture.

Before departing, Ms. Vojáčková-Sollorano, together with the H.E. Michel Rentenaar, Mr. George, Mr. Qureshi, Ms. Sen Gupta, and Mr. Sorosh-Wali visited the sites in the old city of Basra for the EU funded project, ‘Reviving Basra and Mosul Old Cities,’ implemented by UNESCO. The project promotes social cohesion and reconciliation through the restoration and reconstruction of historic urban landscapes. As well as rehabilitating cultural heritage assets, the project also included much-needed creation of job opportunities and the development of youth skills among displaced families and returnees.