VZCZCXRO4192
PP RUEHROV
DE RUEHKH #2909/01 3610323
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
P 270323Z DEC 06 ZDK
FM AMEMBASSY KHARTOUM
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 5661
INFO RUCNIAD/IGAD COLLECTIVE

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 03 KHARTOUM 002909 
 
SIPDIS 
 
DEPT FOR OES, AF/RSA, AF/SPG, AND NEA/ELA 
ADDIS ALSO FOR REO BRODEY 
 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958:  N/A 
TAGS: PREL SENV PGOV ECIN EWWT EG SU
SUBJECT:  Southern Sudan:  Update on Nile River Issues 
 
Ref:  State 190874 
 
KHARTOUM 00002909  001.4 OF 003 
 
 
¶1.  Summary:  Southern Sudan, having signed an MOU with Egypt in 
August 2006 on technical cooperation on water issues, remains 
interested in capacity building and in developing the Nile River as 
a transport corridor.  Although the Jonglei Canal Project remains 
sensitive politically and ecologically, cooperation with Egypt 
remains extensive.  The Government of Southern Sudan is interested 
in conference and workshops on the Nile, and seeks a seat at the 
table co-equal to that of the Government of National Unity in 
Khartoum.  End Summary. 
 
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GoSS Water Resources Min.: Cooperation Despite "Allergy" 
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¶2.  On December 18, Acting Consul General Whitaker met with 
Government of Southern Sudan (GoSS) Minister of Water Resources and 
Irrigation Joseph Duer Jakok, who noted that he had signed the 
Memorandum of Understanding with Egypt on technical cooperation with 
respect to Nile River waters.  Admitting that many were "allergic" 
to discussion of the Jonglei Canal Project, Jakok said the MOU, did 
not commit the GoSS to reviving the project, but allowed the 
exploration of water-related issues with Egypt.  Technical 
cooperation with Egypt is ongoing, Jakok explained, with six 
engineers from Southern Sudan participating in training in Egypt at 
present.  Egypt maintains hydrologists in Juba, Malakal, and Kosti, 
and has many water flow gauges along the White Nile. 
 
¶3.  Jakok emphasized the importance of two actions to improve the 
economic utility of the Nile River to the South:  dredging silted 
areas and reducing water hyacinth infestation.  Both would be 
valuable in expanding transportation networks for both people and 
goods.  The GoSS is interested in participating in conferences and 
workshops regarding the Nile, he added, or in hosting such an event, 
and believes that both the North and the South should be invited to 
future events. 
 
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Egypt:  Technical Cooperation Good, Jonglei Even Better 
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¶4.  The same day, Acting CG also met with Ambassador Abdelghaffar 
Eldib, Consul General of Egypt in Juba, who said that the MOU 
involved updating previous Nile River studies, training 
arrangements, and the need to exchange experiences.  The Jonglei 
Canal, he said, is 75 percent completed, and would benefit both 
Sudan and Egypt if it were completed. 
 
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2006 Nile River MOU:  Goal of Full Water Utilization 
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¶5.  The Memorandum of Understanding is as follows: 
 
(Begin text) 
 
MEMORANDUM OF UNDERSTANDING (MOU) ON 
TECHNICAL COOPERATION 
 
BETWEEN 
 
Egyptian Ministry of Water Resources and Irrigation of the Arab 
Republic of Egypt 
 
and 
 
Ministry of Water Resources and Irrigation of the Government of 
Southern Sudan 
 
PREAMBLE 
 
The brotherhood between Egypt and the Sudan is characterized by a 
historic relations and strong ties.  Cooperation between the two 
countries in the field of water resources management has extended 
over the past centuries to include all aspects of water 
conservation, hydropower development; control of wild aquatic weeds 
such as water hyacinth, maintenance of waterways for navigation, 
hydro-meteorological networks, for weather and water occurrence 
records; and the management of the water structures along the Nile 
and its tributaries. 
 
As the River Nile needs projects for its sustainable and optimum 
utilization the two countries work towards management of its basin 
for increasing its yield for the full utilization of its waters, the 
two countries signed the 1959 agreement, which came into force 
through the establishment of the Permanent Joint Technical, 
Commission for the Nile Waters (PJTC).  The main purposes for 
establishing the PJTC were the drawing of the basic outlines of 
projects for the conservation and increase of the Nile yield, and 
 
KHARTOUM 00002909  002.5 OF 003 
 
 
supervision of the studies necessary for finalizing of these 
projects before presenting them to the Governments of the two 
Republics for approval.  Many water conservation project studies 
have been conducted by the PJTC and they form an excellent basis for 
water resources management and irrigation development in the two 
countries; and Southern Sudan could use them as basis for its water 
resources based development. 
 
TEXT 
 
Pursuant to the brotherhood relationship, friendship and cooperation 
that exists between the Arab Republic of Egypt and the Government of 
Southern Sudan, and desirous to working together in harnessing, 
developing, managing the water resources of the River Nile and 
implementing joint projects to reduce poverty and the negative 
impact of civil war in Southern Sudan, H.E. Mr. JOSEPH DUER JAKOK, 
Minister of Water Resources and Irrigation of the Government of 
Southern Sudan visited Egypt during the month of August, 2006.  And 
after meetings with H.E. Dr. MAHMOUD ABU-ZEID, the Minister of Water 
Resources and Irrigation of the Arab Republic of Egypt in the 
presence of the delegations from the two sides and with some 
organized visits to the major irrigation and drainage projects 
research and training facilities in Egypt. 
 
Also, similar meetings took place between the Southern Sudan 
Delegation and H.E. Dr. HASSAN YOUNIS, the Minister of Electricity 
and Power of the Arab Republic of Egypt and his team to discuss the 
cooperation opportunities in the area of hydropower generation. 
 
Concluding these important meetings and visits, the two sides agreed 
to cooperate and provide technical assistance and exchange of 
experiences, in the following fields: 
 
1)  Water resources assessment 
 
-- Updating Master Plan of water resources development projects. 
 
-- Flood and drought mitigation and forecasting. 
 
-- Hydrological data collection. 
 
-- Review studies of Jonglei Canal Project. 
 
2)  Data collection and dissemination 
 
-- Study for using telemetry system or equivalent. 
 
-- Rehabilitation of the key hydro-meteorological measuring stations 
network in Southern Sudan. 
 
3)  Groundwater: 
 
-- Technical assistance in the field of groundwater development and 
management for drinking water and other uses. 
 
4)  Irrigation: 
 
-- Rain-fed agriculture improvement with supplementary irrigation. 
 
-- Joint venture pilot projects to develop new irrigated 
agricultural schemes in Southern Sudan. 
 
5)  Waterweeds Control and Navigation: 
 
-- Surveying and exploring the water ways infested with water 
hyacinth and other wild vegetation. 
 
-- Carrying out clearance operations of aquatic weeds to enhance 
navigation. 
 
6)  Hydropower Development: 
 
-- Exploring the feasible opportunities for hydropower development. 
 
-- Exchange expertise in planning and implementing hydropower 
projects. 
 
7)  Training and exchange of visits: 
 
-- Training of trainers in area of integrated water resources 
management. 
 
-- Training of water specialists in rural areas. 
 
-- Attending courses on shared water resources toward a diploma at 
Cairo University. 
 
-- Study tours for different levels of water resource managers of 
both governments to exchange experiences. 
 
 
KHARTOUM 00002909  003 OF 003 
 
 
-- Exchange of experiences between the two governments in the fields 
of shared water resources through exchange of trips and technical 
visits. 
 
-- Participation in the regional and international water resources 
management for meetings, conferences, and workshops. 
 
-- The two parties also agreed that the Ministry of Water Resources 
and Irrigation of the Arab Republic of Egypt would send a team of 
experts to the Ministry of Water Resources and Irrigation of the 
Government of Southern Sudan to work out the details of 
implementation of this MOU after its approval by the governments of 
the two parties and identify obligations of each party. 
 
The two parties also agreed to establish a small joint coordination 
team to follow up the implementation of the MOU. 
 
-- This MOU may be reviewed by the two Parties when the need for 
such review arises. 
 
-- This MOU will become effective upon approval of the governments 
of the two Parties. 
 
-- Signed in Cairo, this eighth day of August 2006; in two original 
copies in the English language. 
 
Joseph Duer Jakok 
Minister of Water Resources and Irrigation of the Government of 
Southern Sudan 
 
DR. MAHMOUD ABU-ZEID 
Minister of Water Resources and Irrigation of the Arab Republic of 
Egypt 
 
(End text) 
 
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Comment 
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¶6.  The potential revival of the Jonglei Canal Project has captured 
attention in Sudan, as the South reviews its natural resource base 
and plans long-term economic development.  The impact of following 
through, however, raises questions about loss of habitat and 
potential impact on regional climatic conditions.  End comment. 
 
 
HUME