South Sudan urges Nile Basin Nations to prioritize Joint Water Investment

2026-03-24 - 15:55

South Sudan’s Minister of Water Resources and Irrigation, James Mawich Makuach, has urged Nile Basin nations to prioritize joint infrastructure investment to secure regional water benefits and sustainable development. Speaking on SSBC during a two-day Water and Hydro-Diplomacy Conference held from March 23–24, 2026, Makuach stated that collaborative development of shared resources—including irrigation schemes and hydropower projects—is essential for regional stability. The conference coincided with World Water Day celebrations and gathered policymakers to address water protection and sustainable energy. Minister Makuach emphasized that hydro-diplomacy offers practical solutions through negotiation and coordinated planning. He noted that sustainable outcomes require all Nile Basin countries to participate equally in decision-making processes. “South Sudan firmly believes that a sustainable outcome can only be realized when all the countries actively participate in decision-making,” Makuach stated. “Joint investment in water systems and hydropower projects can generate mutual benefits.” Ethiopia’s Minister of Water and Energy, Habtamu Itefa Geleta, highlighted the necessity of engagement between upstream and downstream stakeholders. He noted that developing river resources should be a collective assignment to address challenging perceptions of shared waterways. Uganda’s Minister for Environment, Beatrice Atim, reminded leaders that more than 300 million people depend on the Nile Basin. She urged the region to move past competition toward shared prosperity through intensified diplomacy. The Executive Director of the Nile Basin Initiative (NBI), Nestor Niyonzima, stated that the organization’s effectiveness relies on the financial and political commitment of its member states. “The Nile Basin Initiative is the property of its member states,” Niyonzima said. “Country contributions are what keep this platform alive, credible, and able to deliver for our countries.” The conference concluded with a call for regional leaders to champion hydro-diplomacy as the primary tool for resolving resource-based challenges and improving livelihoods across East and Central Africa.