Egypt: Approves South Sudan Fula Dam Project After Review

• Egypt has formally approved South Sudan's planned Fula dam after reviewing project studies, as announced by Egyptian Water Resources and Irrigation Minister Hani Sewilam.
• The approval clarifies earlier comments from South Sudan's Energy Minister Agok Makur, who asserted his country's right to build dams without fear of downstream opposition.
• The Fula project is one of 36 initiatives submitted under the Nile Basin Initiative, all of which Egypt has agreed to after finding their effects tolerable.
• Egypt's cooperative stance on the Fula dam differs significantly from its opposition to Ethiopia's Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam (GERD), which it says requires a legally binding agreement.
• South Sudan plans to use the Fula hydropower project, located near Nimule, to expand its electricity generation, with interest from investors and foreign diplomats already noted.

Egypt's cooperative stance on the Fula dam project stands in stark contrast to its long-standing concerns and opposition regarding the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam (GERD).

Egypt has formally approved the planned Fula dam in South Sudan, following a comprehensive review of the project's studies. The announcement was made by Egyptian Water Resources and Irrigation Minister Hani Sewilam in Cairo, clarifying earlier statements from South Sudan's Energy and Dams Minister, Agok Makur, regarding his nation's intent to develop dams on the Nile without apprehension from downstream countries.

Minister Sewilam's comments aimed to contextualize remarks by Minister Makur, who had asserted Juba's readiness to proceed with dam construction, including the Fula hydropower project, emphasizing South Sudan's sovereign right and its status as a Nile Basin member. Makur had previously stated that his country had no reason to fear opposition from nations like Egypt, highlighting that the Nile Basin Council of Ministers had already approved 34 projects, with Egypt's participation in the approval process. The proposed Fula hydropower project is strategically located on the Nile, near Nimule in South Sudan's Eastern Equatoria State.

The Fula dam initiative is one of 36 projects initially submitted under the framework of the Nile Basin Initiative, an intergovernmental partnership fostering cooperation among Nile Basin countries. Egypt's agreement came after its thorough examination of the designs, studies, and other pertinent documentation provided for these projects. Minister Sewilam confirmed that Egypt found the potential environmental and hydrological effects of these initiatives, which include four dams, to be tolerable, leading to Cairo's assent to all 36 proposals.

This cooperative stance on the Fula dam project stands in stark contrast to Egypt's long-standing concerns and opposition regarding the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam (GERD). Cairo maintains that it opposes the GERD in its current configuration and insists on a legally binding agreement governing its filling and operational procedures. The initial remarks from Minister Makur had garnered significant attention in Egypt, largely due to Cairo's persistent anxieties over any Nile projects that could potentially jeopardize its vital Nile water security.

South Sudan views the development of hydropower, exemplified by the Fula hydropower project, as a crucial component of its national strategy to expand electricity generation and meet growing energy demands. Minister Makur had previously informed President Salva Kiir Mayardit about the preparations underway for dam construction, indicating significant progress on these initiatives. Furthermore, there has been expressed interest from both international investors and foreign diplomats in these development projects.

Minister Sewilam explicitly rejected any notion that the Egypt approves South Sudan Fula dam agreement signals a new dispute between Cairo and Juba, underscoring that relations between Egypt, South Sudan, and other southern Nile Basin countries are fundamentally rooted in cooperation. The Nile Basin Initiative, which includes both Egypt and South Sudan, serves as a vital platform for promoting collaborative management and development of the shared river system, reinforcing the spirit of partnership in the region.

Lawyers advising on infrastructure development, water resource management, or international investment in the Nile Basin should note this cooperative agreement as a potential precedent for future projects, particularly in South Sudan. It clarifies Egypt's differentiated stance on upstream dam projects, which is crucial for assessing regional water law and investment risks.

Source: Original reporting via Reuters