Abdul Latif Jamal Rashid

Ministry of Water Resources

Palestine St., Baghdad, Iraq.

Tel: 00 (964) 17720240

Fax: 00 (964) 17740672

E-mail: waterresmin@yahoo.co.uk

E-mail: L.Rashid@email.com

Website: www.iraq-mowr.org

Date and Place of Birth:

10^th August 1944

Sulaimaniya, Iraq.

Nationality: Iraqi

Marital Status:

Married to Shanaz Ibrahim Ahmed

Son: Azos, born in 1982

Daughter: Sara, born in 1987

Son: Zagros, born in 1988

Languages:

English, Arabic and Kurdish.

Education:

Iraqi Baccalaureate, G.C.S ' A' Levels in Pure mathematics.

Applied Mathematics and Physics (UK).

Qualifications:

June 1968:

1972:

1976:

Memberships:

Chartered Engineer, Fellow of the Institution of Civil Engineers (F.I.C.E.)

Member of International Commission on Irrigation and Drainage (I.C.I.D.).

President of (I.C.I.D.) Iraq.

Scholarships Awarded:

Iraqi Government Scholarship to obtain B.Eng Degree,

Gulbenkian Foundation Scholarship to obtain M.Sc Degree,

Dr. Robert Angus Smith Award to obtain Ph.D.

Employment History

From September 2003 to present:  

Appointed as the Minister of Water Resources (MoWR) in Iraq. The activities and responsibilities of MoWR are many and briefly introduced as:  

The Ministry of Water Resources (MoWR) provides Integrated Water Resources Management to the citizens of Iraq. As the steward of these vital resources, the Ministry strives to balance the competing demands of irrigation, municipal and industrial water supply, hydropower, flood control and environmental requirements including marsh restoration. The goal of the Ministry has been to transform and modernize the MoWR into a dynamic and efficient organization that meets current requirements and optimizes future utilization of the water resources of the Nation. Focus areas of improvement include improved operation and maintenance of water control structures and pump stations, efficient management of water through conservation and optimization, and a comprehensive approach to project approval that considers environmental impacts, competing demands and public involvement.  

The MoWR formerly the Ministry of Irrigation is the supplier of raw or untreated water to the nation. The Ministry's nine large dams, 18 major barrages, hundreds of pump stations and 140 land reclamation projects comprise one of the most complex water distribution systems in the world. Over 90 percent of the nation's water is used to irrigate 3.25 million hectares of land throughout Iraq. Mechanical equipments, such as pump stations and back up generators, were 20 to 30 years old and not well maintained. Maintenance is carried out over 80, 000 km of irrigation and drainage channels.  

The water resources infrastructure in Iraq suffered damage after the war due to looting and vandalism, however, the overall functionality of the system itself was not significantly affected. Severe damage and looting was, however, inflicted at several remote project sites and virtually every office. Most of the Ministry's Commissions and the Headquarters lost - data, files, computers, furniture, vehicles and heavy equipments. What was not taken was vandalized or burned.  

Application of technology in the MoWR lags the rest of the world by several decades. The former regime's indifference to science and engineering, combined with 12 years of sanctions, deprived gifted engineers and scientists of opportunities to collaborate and apply emerging technologies. Many major projects decisions were political rather than technically driven solutions developed to solve a problem or benefit the population. Criteria such as the consideration of the environment, public involvement and economic analysis in decision- making were ignored.  

The destruction of the Mesopotamian Marshes is an environmental and humanitarian travesty of large proportion. The former regime drained over 90 percent of the original 20.000 square kilometers that made up the Hawizeh, Central, and Hammar Marshes. Many thousands of people were driven from their homes and livelihood. The Ministry of Water Resources assumed a leading role in restoring this national treasure to the extent possible.

July 1986 to September 2003:  

July 1986 to 2003:

Self-Employed as independent consultant to carry out a range of activities in the field of Irrigation and Drainage, Water Control Engineering, Agricultural Development and Management.

The services and assignments have been at different stages of project implementations; planning, supervision, management, operation and maintenance of completed irrigation drainage and flood control works for both major projects and small-scale schemes. Organizations and companies requested services and consultancy.

·        Food and Agricultural Organization of the United Nations.

·        Kingsmere Consulting Limited (London, U.K.)

·        Al-Sager Consulting Engineers (U.A.E.)

·        Washington Investment Ltd. (London, U.K.)

·        Sir William Halcrow and Partners (U.K.)

·        Irrigation and Drainage Engineering Associates (U.K.)

·        The World Bank- IDA (Washington, U.S.A.) Employed as a consultant with the World Bank-IDA to carry out supervision and produce reports on the engineering components on the following projects:  

§  New Land Development Project – Egypt

§  West Baheira Settlement Project – Egypt

§  Southern Regional Agricultural Development Project- Yemen Arab Republic. 

February 1983 to July 1986:

November 1982 to February 1983:

June 1981 to November 1982:

 May 1979 to June 1981:

 February 1976 to May 1979:

February 1975 to February 1976:

January 1969 to January 1971: