A joint water authority between the Sudan and Egypt that will return to work after a 4-year hiatus

Regular meetings of the Joint Permanent Technical Commission for Nile Water began in Khartoum at its 62nd session after a four-year hiatus.

In the presence of the Minister of Irrigation and Water Resources, Eng. Du Beit Abd al-Rahman Mansour, Ambassador of the Republic of Egypt to the Sudan and members of the Commission from the Sudanese and Egyptian sides.

The President of the current session of the Commission, Mr. Mustafa Hussein, said that the periodic meetings are to revive the activities of the Commission while benefiting the two countries and promote joint cooperation in the interest of the two brothers.

Hussein added that the meetings will develop the Joint Permanent Technical Body, noting that within its agenda regional changes and joint cooperation with the states of the Nile Basin should be accompanied by the development of relations and cooperation with the basin states.

Hussein stressed the importance of activating good relations with South Sudan to work on projects on the ground that contribute to addressing flood problems, clearing weeds and improving navigation.

On his part, the head of the Egyptian side of the Authority, Dr. Arif Abdel-Princess, stressed the need to confront the challenges facing Nile water issues, the most important of which is the growing population to protect water facilities and provide financial support to the Authority.

He called for an agreement between the Sudan, Egypt and Ethiopia on the Ethiopian Renaissance Dam to achieve the desired benefits. He hoped that the Commission’s joint development projects would be examined expeditiously and its activities developed.