Manawa Peter Gatkuoth, the Minister of Water Resources and Irrigation - Credit | Office of the Minister | April 8, 2022

The Ministry of Water Resources & Irrigation has confirmed it signed the controversial dredging deal with the Egyptian government last year.

On Tuesday, the office of the President said the government has not approved the controversial initiative to dredge the Nile tributaries, including the acquisition of machinery from Egypt.

The reaction was propelled by some experts and members of the public who criticized the importation of the equipment.

The Press Secretary of the Minister of Water Resources & Irrigation disclosed on Wednesday that the government signed a memorandum of understanding with Egypt in Cairo, in July 2021.

In a press statement, Gattiek Gatkuoth Wichar pointed out that the government delegation to Egypt was headed by Vice President for Economic Cluster Dr. James Wani Igga.

“During the 1st Session of the Joint High-Level Commission between Egypt and South Sudan led by H.E Dr. James Wani Igga, Vice President for Economic Cluster to Egypt in July 2021, the Minister of Water Resource and Irrigation renewed and signed the MoU with the Egyptian Minister of Water Resources and Irrigation,

“…on the dredging of Bahr el Ghazal river system and construction of four haffirs, and an urgent resumption of the dredging of 30 km stretch of Bahr el Ghazal from Unity State capital Bentiu to Lake-no which is currently blocked by aquatic weeds.”

Gatkuoth said negotiations to clear aquatic weeds and deepen river floor from Bahr el Ghazal Basin to Bentiu and Lake-no began in 2006.

The MoU between South Sudan and Egypt was renewed last July following a visit to Cairo by a delegation led by VP Wani, says the associate of Minister Manawa Peter.

The Ministry described dredging as a “routine” activity.

Meanwhile, the Minister of Environment and Forestry on Wednesday distanced her ministry from the dredging deal.

Josephine Napwon told a press briefing in Juba, the Nile River dredging project is illegal and will not proceed until a proper environmental assessment is conducted.

Napwon also said the Ministry of Water Resources and Irrigation has not notified the environment ministry over the initiative.

The Cooperation Agreement between South Sudan and Egypt on the Nile dated back to a per-colonial era, when Egypt and the British on behalf of the downstream countries signed the 1929 Nile water agreement which was renewed in 1959.

The press release from the Ministry of Water Resource said after the 2005 peace deal, both ministries established cooperation by signing a Memorandum of Understanding on behave of Juba and Cairo, in August 2006.

The 2006 MoU sets out key areas of cooperation.

They include capacity building of water cadres in Egyptian institutions, dredging, and clearance of aquatic weeds in the Bahr el Ghazal Basin and construction of landing sites.

It also calls for the provision of safe drinking water through the drilling of boreholes and motorizing solar systems.

The deal says the Egyptian government should carry out a feasibility study for a multi-purpose dam in Western Bahr el Ghazal State.

However, the statement says the activities were halted after the 2013 and 2016 conflicts.

It says the construction of two landing sites in Kuajok and Wau was completed, as well as the borehole drilling is ongoing and the Sue feasibility study is being finalized.

Minister Manawa’s press secretary stated that 21 trucks loaded with equipment and tools arrived in Bentiu on 1^st June 2022 from Egypt via Sudan.