Iraqi premier Adel Abdel-Mahdi visited Basra Sunday, his first trip as prime minister to the southern province where lagging services spawned a water crisis and protests last summer. Abdel-Mahdi’s office said he visited several infrastructure and service projects in the oil-rich province, including water provision services. “He called for redoubled efforts so these projects can […]
Iraqi premier Adel Abdel-Mahdi visited Basra Sunday, his first trip as prime minister to the southern province where lagging services spawned a water crisis and protests last summer.
Abdel-Mahdi’s office said he visited several infrastructure and service projects in the oil-rich province, including water provision services.
“He called for redoubled efforts so these projects can be accomplished as quickly as possible,” his office said, AFP reported.
In the summer of 2018, an unprecedented water crisis in Basra left 100,000 people hospitalized and sparked a massive protest movement that resulted in a dozen dead.
After his appointment as prime minister in October, Abdel-Mahdi pledged to present a plan to fulfill these demands within his first 100 days on the job.
However, it has yet to be announced and the premier is still struggling to finalize the formation of his Cabinet.
