Sudan Between Two Dams: The Technical Water Resources Authority
The article discusses the critical role of Sudan's Technical Water Resources Authority in managing water security amidst the operation of the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam. It argues that a stable, scientific institution is essential for navigating the complex geopolitical water landscape between Ethiopia and Egypt.
Why it matters
Effective water management is a matter of national security for Sudan, impacting its ability to handle climate change and regional diplomatic tensions.
Dr Ammar Abkar Abdalla Specialist in Water Resources, Integrated Water Resources Management, and Transboundary Water Cooperation While public attention in Sudan is focused on Nile water levels, the operation of the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam (GERD), and storage levels in Sudanese reservoirs, a more fundamental question remains largely absent from public debate: Which institution collects the data, analyses it, links climate forecasts with the day-to-day operation of dams, and translates regional agreements into national measures that support decision-making? The answer leads us to the Technical Water Resources Authority—the institution that has, for decades, served as the scientific repository and institutional memory of the Sudanese state in the management of water resources, despite successive governments, changing administrative structures, and repeated ministerial reorganisations. Today, following the operation of the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam and amid accelerating climate change, the role of this institution is no longer an administrative luxury.
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