The University of Halabja Department of Geography held an international workshop on geopolitics of Kurdistan region and its water resources on the 29th of September in the university’s central library .

The workshop was presented by both Mr. Farid Asasard, political activist and senior PUK official, and Dr. Fabrice Balanche, associate professor at Department of Geography at the University of Lyon 2.

In the first part of the workshop, Mr. Farid Asasard touched upon three dimensions: Federalism, Kurdistan geopolitics and its water Resources. A short history of Kurdistan region, its new government, the neighboring states, their involvement and influences on the region, were some of the main points he addressed

“We should know that Federalism is a new concept in the middle east where it exists only in two states which are the United Arab Emirates and the Republic of Iraq where it is not completely approved of but imposed by the USA to solve some political issues including the Kurdish issue”, he explained at the beginning of his seminar.

“The Bekhme Dam was firstly planned to be constructed in the 1938 on the Great Zab but was delayed until 1979 but postponed again due to Iran-Iraq war in the 1980s. If completed, the dam would produce 1,500 MW of hydro-electricity which would not only provide power for the region but would also be so much that would be sold to the rest of Iraq and even neighboring countries”, he further added regarding the water resources in Kurdistan.

Afterwards, Fabrice Balanche, who also directs the Research Group on Mediterranean and Middle East shortly knows as GREMMO, presented his seminar tackling different dimensions regarding the geography, politics and natural resources of Kurdistan region. His presentation was visually aided through his numerous maps illustrating aspects such as the region’s history, divisions based on ethnic groups, religion, and political parties.

“We have to take local, national, regional and international factors into perspective when we discuss the geopolitical situation of Kurdistan region”, he said.

“Kurdistan region has to come up with a reliable solution when it comes to its water reservoir because climate change will reduce rainfall by 50 percent in the next 30 years. If not resolved, the region will face one of the biggest crises in its history. Additionally, if the Kurdistan Region wish to develop economically and politically, it needs to end its dependency on Turkey concerning oil exportation”, he further elaborated.

Balanche, is an expert consultant on Middle East latest developments and the Syrian crisis. Some of his known publications are Geopolitics of the Middle East (2014), Atlas of the Arab Near East (2012) and a book which is based on his doctoral dissertation entitled The Alawite Region and Syrian Power (2006).