South Sudan dismisses claims Egypt is blocking dam construction

JUBA, NOV. 8, 2023 (SUDANS POST) – The South Sudan government has emphatically rejected accusations that Egypt’s opposition is impeding its plans to construct a dam to alleviate the country’s recurrent flood disasters.

Speculations have long circulated in South Sudan, fueled by the ongoing dispute between Egypt and Ethiopia regarding the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam (GERD), that Egypt is actively thwarting South Sudan’s dam-building endeavors.

In an exclusive interview with Sudan Post in Cairo last week, South Sudan’s Minister of Water Resources and Irrigation, Pal Mai Deng, vehemently dismissed these claims as “utterly unacceptable” and emphasized the government’s unwavering commitment to proceeding with its dam project.

“This is another misperception that if the government of South Sudan wishes to construct a dam, someone in the region will obstruct it,” he asserted.

“This is entirely unacceptable, and people are alleging that Egypt is the reason the South Sudan government cannot build a dam, which is completely false,” he added.

The senior government official underscored his government’s autonomy in its developmental endeavors and its resolute determination to embark on its dam project.

To further dispel any lingering doubts regarding Egypt’s alleged opposition, Deng drew a comparison with Sudan’s successful construction of five dams without any Egyptian interference.

 

“Sudan, situated between Egypt and South Sudan, has constructed approximately five or six dams (I’m unsure if you are aware of this), and the Egyptian government has not opposed or did not oppose the construction of these dams,” he stated.

According to the minister, this contrast highlights the incongruity of assertions that Egypt would obstruct dam construction in South Sudan while not opposing similar projects in its immediate vicinity.

“Five dams have been built in Sudan, even with the support of Egypt. So, if Sudan, which is closer to Egypt, has constructed five dams without being opposed by the Egyptian government, why would Egypt go and oppose the construction of one in South Sudan,” he questioned.