The Face of Truth: Sudan’s Water Security and the Nile Basin
Ibrahim Shaglawi
When I borrowed the title of this article from Professor Saif Al-Din Hamad Abdullah’s book, “Sudan’s Water Security and the Nile Basin,” it was out of conviction that the title does not merely reflect the content of the book, but encapsulates one of the most serious challenges facing our country today. This work, graciously gifted to me by the author, was published at a critical time in which Sudan is undergoing complex political, economic, and security transformations, amidst a region witnessing increasing tensions over resources—water being at the forefront.
In this context, water security is no longer just a technical or negotiation file; it has become a national sovereign issue, directly tied to the concept of state stability, its ability to plan for the future, and protect its interests.
I came to know Professor Saif Al-Din Hamad through close collaboration, and I witnessed how he balances scientific precision with calm reasoning, decision-making responsibility with courageous positioning. A man who knows the ins and outs and the pain of this file from the heart of negotiation—having served as a former minister and head of the National Technical Committee for the Nile Basin. He led the Sudanese delegation in critical negotiations that culminated in the signing of the Declaration of Principles between Sudan, Egypt, and Ethiopia in Khartoum in 2015—one of the most tense and sensitive moments in the history of Nile Basin relations.
In this 257-page book, Professor Saif Al-Din provides a comprehensive and analytically precise presentation of the history, geography, and challenges of Sudanese water security within the context of the Nile Basin. He does not impose opinions but rather engages the reader from a position of knowledge, presenting the legal, engineering, and political backgrounds governing Sudan’s share of Nile waters, its relations with upstream and downstream countries, and the outcomes of cooperation—or lack thereof—in this sensitive file.
The author dedicates a substantial portion to discussing regional initiatives, the evolution of legal and institutional cooperation frameworks—such as the Cooperative Framework Agreement (CFA)—and bilateral and multilateral agreements. He highlights how the lack of coordination among basin countries not only increases the likelihood of conflict, but threatens opportunities for sustainable development and undermines stability. From a scientific and practical perspective, the book connects water to population growth, natural resources to geopolitical shifts, and climate to development—placing water security in its rightful place: a cornerstone of any genuine national project.
The book also stresses the importance of building trust among nations and establishing strategic partnerships based on mutual interests, affirming that dialogue is the only viable path to ensuring fair and equitable use of water—especially in the context of water scarcity, climate fluctuations, and mounting development pressures. Cooperation, as the author shows, is not a political luxury or a moral choice—it is a strategic necessity to secure water, food, environmental, and societal security for all basin countries.
What distinguishes this book is that it approaches the issue of water within the broader framework of state structure, affirming that any mismanagement in this file will directly reflect on national security. Through what is presented, it becomes clear that Sudan still lacks a comprehensive national water policy—one that connects resources to needs, projects to sectors. This absence weakens the state’s negotiating position and makes its decisions vulnerable to external pressures.
Based on my reading of the book and my understanding of the water landscape in Sudan, I find it necessary to renew the call for the establishment of a sovereign center for water resources—a high-level strategic body responsible for drafting water policies, setting national priorities, guiding state investments, and unifying the technical and political stance. While this proposal is not explicitly stated in the book, I believe it is a logical conclusion derived from its content, and an inevitable step to confront the current challenges.
The book emphasizes that water is no longer just a developmental issue—it has become a file governed by the logic of national security. The absence of a clear water policy means the loss of developmental and political decision-making. The author warns that poor coordination among basin countries threatens regional security as a whole, opening the door to conflict and external interventions, while cooperation and role complementarity remain the best path to ensure fair and sustainable resource use.
The author, albeit indirectly, hints at the absence of the Ministry of Irrigation and Water Resources from the institutional forefront following the outbreak of war, and its retreat from initiating reconstruction efforts and damage assessments—aggravating the fragility of the situation. Available data indicates that internal disputes have contributed to sidelining technical expertise and diminishing the Ministry’s role at a time when full engagement was most needed in this vital file.
Continuing to manage the water file with a fragmented mindset, responding only to immediate pressures, or through political exclusion, cannot lead to sustainable water security. We need a national water project, armed with science, experience, and professional leadership that understands the nature of the current phase, its complexities, and the future of potential conflicts.
According to The Face of Truth, Professor Saif Al-Din Hamad Abdullah’s book is not merely a technical study—it is a bold call to rewrite the history of water relations in the Nile Basin, and to awaken the responsibility of both the state and society. It is a call to Sudanese water experts to document their experiences and build a national memory based on facts—not political stances.
From this perspective, I call upon the Sudanese government, based on this vision, to place the water file at the heart of its priorities—as a fundamental pillar of national security. A state that does not control its water decisions, does not control its future. There is no political security without water security, and no stability without a strategic vision led by the state with a planning mindset—not reactive impulses.
Wishing you all well and in good health.
Thursday, July 24, 2025
Shglawi55@gmail.com