Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan on Thursday addressed, via videoconference, the groundbreaking ceremony for the Silvan Tunnel, Türkiye’s largest-ever irrigation tunnel project, stressing the strategic importance of water in the 21st century.

The Silvan Tunnel, part of the larger Silvan Dam and Irrigation Project, aims to significantly boost agricultural productivity in the country’s southeastern region by delivering much-needed irrigation to vast areas of farmland. President Erdoğan hailed the start of excavation works as a major step in Türkiye’s efforts to secure water resources and strengthen national resilience against climate-related threats.

“Water is the source of life, production, civilization, and energy. Without water, there is no life or abundance,” Erdoğan declared. “In the past, people fought over oil and carbon fuels. It appears that in the coming period, the struggle will be over water, the most strategic and valuable resource of this century.”

Underscoring the growing pressure on global water resources, President Erdoğan pointed to factors such as climate change, population growth, urbanization, and recurring natural disasters. “We are seeing more frequent droughts, floods, and forest fires,” he said, referring also to the recent agricultural frost that impacted multiple provinces across Türkiye.

“Scientists are warning of even more challenging days ahead. Türkiye is not a water-rich country. On the contrary, we are classified as a water-stressed country,” Erdoğan cautioned, emphasizing that urgent and coordinated action is necessary.

The President warned that if effective and sustainable measures are not implemented promptly, Türkiye could face serious national security risks stemming from water scarcity. He called for a comprehensive strategy that prioritizes the preservation, efficient use, and proper management of the country’s water resources.

Highlighting the importance of large-scale infrastructure investments like the Silvan Tunnel, Erdoğan concluded by reaffirming his government’s commitment to securing Türkiye’s water future for generations to come. The tunnel, once completed, is expected to transform agriculture in the region, improve water efficiency, and play a critical role in national food security and economic development. (ILKHA)