Sudan and Egypt have signed a memorandum of understanding in Cairo on November 2, 2026, to implement development projects in the field of water resources in Sudan. The agreement is considered strategically important as it opens up a broader horizon for rebuilding the water partnership between the two countries based on mutual interests and integration of capabilities and experiences. The memorandum includes the rehabilitation of water facilities damaged by war, protection from floods, drilling of rainwater harvesting facilities, construction of groundwater stations powered by solar energy, and resistance to aquatic weeds.
The agreement comes as an extension of the bilateral coordination on water issues and implementation of the outputs of the high-level coordination committee meeting on water issues between the two countries in February. Sudan faces a complex challenge, with water facilities in need of rehabilitation, rural communities lacking stable sources of water, and the agricultural sector needing infrastructure to enhance production and mitigate the effects of climate change and war. The agreement's value lies in its response to Sudan's actual needs and its ability to transition from understandings to actual implementation on the ground.
Sudan's water facilities, including dams for water harvesting, have stopped maintenance since 2019. These facilities represent a lifeline for wide communities, providing water for humans and animals, supporting agriculture and grazing, and reducing competition for resources, thereby contributing to the reduction of local conflicts and creating conditions for the return and stability of displaced persons. Including them in the priorities of cooperation will be a developmental addition with a direct impact on the return of life to the Sudanese countryside.
On the level of strategic vision between the two countries, the partnership can go beyond the maintenance of existing facilities to study investment opportunities in major water projects, including dams on the Nile River. These projects offer opportunities for electricity generation and energy security but require updated technical, economic, environmental, and social studies that keep pace with changes. The experience of the Julius Nyerere Dam and Power Station in Tanzania provides an important model for what Egyptian executive capabilities can provide in large infrastructure projects.
The Egyptian alliance, consisting of the Arab Contractors Company and the Swidi Electric Company, implemented the project with a generating capacity of 2115 megawatts, with the participation of Egyptian engineers and technicians alongside workers. The Tanzanian government financed the project, while the Egyptian alliance implemented it, revealing Egyptian engineering and executive experience that can be utilized in Sudan's projects. Sudan has accumulated national and institutional expertise in the field through the construction of the Merowe Dam, the raising of the Roseries Dam, and the implementation of the Upper Atbara and Stit dams, in addition to water harvesting dams.
This experience should be an integral part of any future cooperation. The partnership is not a one-way transfer of experience or a donor-recipient relationship but rather an interaction between accumulated Sudanese experience and Egyptian executive and investment capabilities, enhancing joint efficiency, building national capabilities, and preserving development decision independence. The memorandum provides an opportunity to redefine Sudanese-Egyptian integration on more realistic and mature foundations based on common interests, role integration, and exchange of experiences.
The real challenge is achieving water security, not just building dams or signing memoranda of understanding, but possessing a national vision that determines how water is managed, invested, and transformed into production, stability, and life opportunities. If Egyptian experience meets Sudanese resources and experiences and political and economic development will are integrated within an equal partnership, this memorandum may become a good start for a real strategic project that not only repairs what the war has destroyed but also establishes a more secure and prosperous future for the peoples of the Nile Valley.
Key points
- The agreement between Sudan and Egypt aims to enhance cooperation in water resources development projects in Sudan.
- The partnership between Sudan and Egypt is based on mutual interests and integration of capabilities and experiences.
- The agreement includes rehabilitation of water facilities, protection from floods, and construction of groundwater stations powered by solar energy.
