FACT-CHECK: How correct are claims that Egypt has ‘secret’ water ministry in South Sudan?

JUBA – Sudanese-born Canadian expert Professor Taj el Khazin on Wednesday claimed that the Egyptian government has secretly established its ministry of water resources and irrigation in South Sudan without the consent and knowledge of the authorities in the world’s youngest country.

The claim by the expert sparked anger against the government of South Sudan, with some expressing anti-Egyptian sentiments. A section of citizens which previously supported government initiative to dredge rivers of weeds has backtracked and called for the initiative to be halted.

Sudans Post answer the question of how correct is the claim that Egypt has secretly established its water ministry in South Sudan?

As per what we know, Egypt has not established a secret water ministry in South Sudan and would not risk its relations with South Sudan by acting in such a way. Rather, there are Egyptian missions of the water ministry which are in most countries located along the Nile including South Sudan, Sudan and Uganda.

Known as ‘Rei el Masry’ or ‘Egyptian irrigation [ministry]’ in English, the mission were set up in Malakal, Wau, and Juba, according to a 1981 agreement between Egypt and Sudan known as “Permanent Joint Technical Commission for Nile Waters: Egypt-Sudan.”

According to South Sudan’s ministry of water resources and irrigation, the agreement “allowed Egypt to setup their stations along the River Nile commonly known as ‘Rei El Masri’ – Egyptian Irrigation station which were established in the former three regional capitals of Juba, Wau and Malakal and other former provincial towns. “

The ministry said that the main objective behind the setting up of Egyptian water ministry missions “is to monitor the flow of the River Nile by recording the water levels and discharges of the main Nile and its tributaries.”

Therefore, it is not correct that the Egyptian government has established a secret branch of its water ministry in South Sudan without the knowledge of the government and Prof. Taj appears to have mistaken the Egyptian mission, which has been there since 1981, for a secret ministry of water resources of Egypt.