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Discussion with Mr Abdalla Seifeldin,
principal private secretary of the Minister
for the irrigation and the water resources
of Sudan.
During this maintenance, we will approach
with him the following points:
- the division of water of the Nile
- quantity of water available to Sudan
- the great projects which the Sudanese
government sets up to face an increase in
the water consumption
- water in Khartoum
- Its vision of water and the durable development
and its word of encouragement for the children
who follow us
The division of water
of the Nile
" 1959, an equitable
division of water… "
Hydrotour : Is there an agreement
of division of water of the Nile between
your country, Sudan, and your neighbor of
North, Egypt ?
Abdalla Seifeldin : Yes well on! There
is besides habit to call this division of
water, an "equitable" division
of water, because it holds account of the
real requirements out of water for the two
countries. These agreements were signed
in 1959 between the Sudanese president of
the time Ibrahim Aboud and her Egyptian
counterpart Nasser.
Hydrotour : How did they make
so that this division is equitable in the
facts?
Abdalla Seifeldin : In the order
to establish an equitable division of water,
experts determined which was the medium
flow per annum and over 100 years of water
of the Nile. It rises to 84 billion m³.
One determined which were the contributions
out of water other than the Nile the two
countries had. According to these various
parameters, the share of Sudan was fixed
at 18,5 billion m³ per annum and 55,5
billion for Egypt.
Hydrotour : Are the agreements
of 1959 the first of the kind between Egypt
and Sudan ?
Abdalla Seifeldin : Sudan acquired
its independence in 1956. The agreements
of 1929 between Sudan and Egypt had taken
place under the aegis of the United Kingdom.
At that time Sudan could puncture only 4
billion m³ and Egypt 48 billion…
"First agreements
listed on the division of water of the Nile
go back to 1891"
Hydrotour : Are these
agreements of 1959 an academic case in the
area ?
Abdalla Seifeldin : For the colonial
period of many agreements were signed under
the supervision of the European countries.
For example, the first agreements listed
on the division of water of the Nile go
back to 1891. These agreements relate to
Atbara (river which take its source in Ethiopia
and which throws itself in the Nile in Sudan),
the countries signatories are Italy and
England.
In 1902 in Addis-Abeba, England and Ethiopia
sign a treaty. Menlick II (emperor of Ethiopia)
is committed not building of hydraulic work
on the Blue Nile, the lake Tana and the
Sobat river. From Ethiopia denounced these
agreements of 1902 just like the agreements
of 1959 which do not allot anything to him.
It considers that 80% of water of the Nile
come from the sources of the Blue Nile,
Sobat and Atbara and thus wishes that these
agreements be revised.
Hydrotour : Today, when
decisions must be made concerning the use
of water of the Nile, how you organize with
Egypt ?
Abdalla Seifeldin : permanent technical
commission was creates with an aim of answering
all the requirements which imposed such
an agreement. It sits 4 times per annum,
2 times in Khartoum, 2 times at Cairo. It
is made up of 14 divided members with equality
between Egypt and Sudan. The president of
the commission is one year out of two Sudaneses.
This commission has the role of making scientific
measurements on the quality of water (at
all the borders) and of delivering their
opinion on the possible construction of
a new hydraulic work on the Nile, as it
is currently the case with the construction
of the Marawi/Hamadab stopping downstream
from Khartoum.
"To share the richnesses
of water of the Nile and not only to divide
water of the Nile…"
Hydrotour : And with the
remainder of the catchment area ?
Abdalla Seifeldin : Since 1998/99,
a project entitled "Initiative of the
Basin of the Nile" is set up so that
the whole of the Member States of the basin
reflect jointly on questions such as: divisions
of water, the construction of new hydraulic
works etc.
The subjacent idea of this project, initiated
by FAO (Agricultural Food and Organization),
is to share the richnesses of water of the
Nile and not only to divide water of the
Nile….
Quantity of water
available to Sudan
Hydrotour : How much countries
counts the basin of the Nile ?
Abdalla Seifeldin : Water of the
Nile relates to 10 countries: Rwanda, Burundi,
Uganda, Erythrée, Ethiopia, Congo,
Kenya, Tanzania, Sudan, Egypt.
Hydrotour : Which are
the quantities of water available into Sudan
?
Abdalla Seifeldin : The quantity
of water in the basements is 40 billion
m³ 5 billion is renewed annually. The
oases and rivers represent 4 billion m³
additional. With that is added the 18,5
billion m³ that we have the right to
pump in the Nile. We use in reality that
15,5 billion m³ from the Nile and 1
billion the remainder (Oasis and Basements).
However we envisage to consume in the 10
to 15 years 32 billion m³ and 48 billion
in 25 years... Our high contents in water
available will not be sufficient any more
to provide for these new needs.
Great projects of
the government
Hydrotour : You spoke
a few moments ago about the dam Marawi/Hamadab
downstream from Khartoum. For which reasons
build this new stopping ?
Abdalla Seifeldin : Mainly for two
reasons.
1. To answer the increase in the requirements
out of water 15 next year old
2. To produce own electricity of which we
miss. The water reserve will be 9 billion
M³ and hydroelectric production of
1350 Megawatts. For the moment Sudan produces
only 500 Megawatts of electricity.
Note: The largest stopping in France on
the Durance produces 1600 Megawatts and
the Stopping of Aswan 21 000 Megawatt (12
turbines).
"Without the water
reserve of the stopping the dryness would
have generated considerable human losses"
Hydrotour : Does Sudan
draw an advantage from the construction
of the stopping of Aswan ?
Abdalla Seifeldin : We often say
about the stopping of Aswan that it was
beneficial only for Egypt, but they is false.
It makes it possible to retain 22 billion
m³ of water per annum which would be
thrown differently in the sea. This water
would be to some extent lost for agricultural,
industrial and domestic consumption. In
the event of strong sècheresses it
makes it possible the two countries to puncture
the quantity of water necessary to their
needs. In 1984 for example, the flow of
the Nile was only 42 billion m³, without
the water reserve of the stopping the dryness
would have generated human losses even more
considerable. We would not have been in
measurement not more than Egypt to pump
the quantity of annual water necessary for
the requirements out of water for our two
countries.
Hydrotour : Does Sudan
have undertook great work like the project
"Toshka valley" (new valley) in
Egypt ?
Abdalla Seifeldin : Yes, the channel
of Jonglei dealt with by Egypt and Sudan.
Objective of this channel: to use the considerable
quantities of water captive of the marshes
(2 billion m³) upstream of Khartoum
by the construction of a channel between
Bor and Malakal (360 km).
The work started into 1979 was stopped by
the beginning of the civil war in 1983 and
ever finished. Today with the return of
peace between the North and the South of
Sudan, of the studies are into short to
know if on the environmental level work
can be resumed. This gigantic wetland A
can be a role on the climate in Sudan. To
drain partially could destroy an environmental
balance irréversiblement. From where
the hesitation of the government to start
again work. Moreover, certain wandering
peasants do not want to see themselves sedentarized
in the area, violent one clashes had already
been recorded at the beginning of the construction
of the channel.
Water
in Khartoum
Hydrotour : Now what did
we make a review of water in Sudan, can
speak to us more particularly about water
in Khartoum ?
Abdalla Seifeldin : The requirements
out of drinking water for the town of Khartoum
are 1 million m³ by day, but only 650
000 m³ are produced by the state of
Khartoum (administrative of water of the
city). We want from here to 5 years making
up this drinking water deficit.
"tariffing depends
on the size of the house"
Hydrotour : Which process
of tariffing of water do you apply to the
hearths ?
Abdalla Seifeldin :Tariffing depends
on the size of the house and varies on criteria
such as: the number of bathrooms, numbers
inhabitants, the site of the house, etc.
For you give an example, my house shelters
7 people and I pay roughly 8 dollars/month
without consumed water limitation.
Hydrotour : Does the town
of Khartoum have a network of all-to-the
sewer?
Abdalla Seifeldin : Yes of course,
but not in all the city, otherwise it is
much of pits individual or collective skeptics.
The management of the sewerage system of
the town of Khartoum is made difficult because
of the strong precipitations recorded during
the summer months. This is why you can see
in the streets with much place of the drains
of sewers with open sky... in order to allow
water more quickly to stream. We treat to
some extent sewages of Khartoum in only
and single station of water treatment of
Sudan.
His vision of water
and the durable development and his words
of encouragement for the children who follow
us.
Hydrotour : Did you intend
to speak about the international year of
fresh water?
Abdalla Seifeldin : Yes! Sudan accentuated
besides its policy of assistance to the
project having a bond with water in 2003.
For example in the East and the West, which
are semi-arid areas because of their distance
of the Nile, we financially support the
construction of water reserves for the agricultural
needs and consumption.
Hydrotour : Which bond
do you do between water and the durable
development?
Abdalla Seifeldin : I think that
safety and the social and economic growth
depend primarily on water. Water and the
access to water are in Sudan the priority
of any durable development whatever it is.
To improve the access to water in Africa
and more particularly to Sudan is to improve
the condition of Woman !
"Water that you
drink in Europe is the same which is drunk
here, on our premises in Africa…"
Hydrotour : Do you
have a message to transmit to the children
who follow us?
Abdalla Seifeldin : Hello children!
I would like to make you become aware that
water that you drink in Europe is the same
water which is drunk here on our premises
in Africa, but also in America and Asia.
I invite you to thus to use it advisedly
this manner you will help water itself and
the Life.
Hydrotour : Thank you Mr Seifeldin
for your word with the children and thanks
for having agreed to answer our questions.
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