Truth Perspective: Mubarak Al-Fadil and Water Security…
Ibrahim Shaglawi
In national affairs, the value of an idea does not lie in who proposes it, but in its ability to withstand events—when it evolves from an opinion into a question that imposes itself on both the state and society. This is precisely what has happened with the issue of water security in our country, which has gone beyond the boundaries of technical discussion to become an unmistakably political and strategic issue, after a number of political leaders revisited it in light of what was revealed in the article “The Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam… or Sudan’s Oversight?”
Among the most notable of these positions was that of Mubarak Al-Fadil Al-Mahdi, Chairman of the Umma Party for Reform and Renewal and one of Sudan’s influential political figures, who has held several executive positions, including Assistant to the President of the Republic and a number of ministerial portfolios. We appreciate his interest and contribution to broadening the discussion on water security, reflecting the importance of moving this issue from specialized technical circles into the broader sphere of political and national concern.
The article was based on technical data and the observations of water expert Professor Saif El-Din Hamad. It was not an advocacy piece for any political position, but rather an attempt to examine the crisis from the perspective of resource and institutional management. What matters to us at Truth Perspective is that the water issue remains free from political polarization and is discussed as a matter of national security that transcends political alignments. The objective has always been—and remains—to redirect the discussion from identifying who is to blame to searching for solutions.
Al-Fadil approached the Nile water shortage crisis from a different perspective, explaining that reducing the issue solely to the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam represents only half of the truth. Drawing on the technical information presented in the article and the observations of water expert Professor Saif El-Din Hamad, he pointed out that water releases from the GERD between January and June 2026 exceeded Sudan’s actual needs, making it technically possible to store adequate quantities in the Roseires Dam to secure irrigation and electricity generation requirements during the storage period that begins in July.
Mubarak Al-Fadil’s observation gains particular significance not merely because it came from a prominent political figure, but because it redirected the discussion away from assigning responsibility to an external party and toward a more fundamental question: if the water was available, why was it not managed in a manner that ensured water security at the critical moment?
This is the essence of the issue. The article did not take sides; rather, it sought to explore the root of the crisis: is the problem a shortage of resources, or the weakness of the institution responsible for managing them? The Nile water shortage crisis revealed that the challenge is not confined to the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam, but also stems from the absence of an institution capable of managing the file, including the suspension of the joint technical committees with Ethiopia responsible for coordination and information exchange under the October 2022 arrangements. Today, water is a matter of national security linked to sovereignty, food, and energy. Restoring the competent administrative institution is not merely a ministerial adjustment; it is about restoring the state’s ability to safeguard its strategic interests.
It is true that Al-Fadil linked this institutional shortcoming to the circumstances of war and called for ending the conflict as one of the causes of declining government performance. That is a political position he is entitled to express. However, the more important lesson is that water management cannot be held hostage to crises. Water security requires institutions capable of functioning under all circumstances and challenges.
Mubarak Al-Fadil was not alone in drawing attention to this reality. Mubarak Ardol, Chairman of the Democratic Alliance for Social Justice, also called in a post for a review of the decision to abolish the Ministry of Irrigation and merge it into the Ministry of Agriculture. He stressed that the complexities of Sudan’s water file, particularly those related to the Nile Basin and the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam, make the existence of a specialized ministry a national necessity rather than an administrative luxury.
Despite the differences between the two men in their political positions and views on many issues, their agreement on the need to review the institutional structure governing water management reflects an important shift in the nature of the debate. The issue is no longer merely a demand raised by experts; it has become recognized by political actors who understand that safeguarding Sudan’s interests begins with building institutions capable of managing its strategic resources.
Truth Perspective has repeatedly warned that the abolition of the Ministry of Water Resources was not a simple administrative decision, but an ill-considered step with strategic consequences affecting dam operations, reservoir management, technical coordination, water diplomacy, and the monitoring of developments related to the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam and the Nile Basin agreements.
According to #Truth_Perspective, the most important outcome of this debate is that the water issue should not become another arena for political polarization, but rather an opportunity to rebuild state institutions on foundations better equipped to face the future. The growing attention from political actors of different backgrounds may mark the beginning of a new awareness that national security issues cannot be managed in isolation, and that safeguarding Sudan’s interests requires a comprehensive national strategy encompassing water, food, energy, and the economy. Restoring the Ministry of Water Resources and Irrigation as an independent ministry is not merely an administrative revision; it is a step toward restoring the state’s capacity to manage its sovereign resources. Strong nations do not wait for crises to build their institutions; they anticipate them with a vision that safeguards their future.
Wishing you continued good health and well-being.
Monday, July 27, 2026
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