South Sudan’s Manawa Gatkuoth elected chair of Nile Council of Ministers – aide

JUBA — South Sudan’s Minister of Water Resources and irrigation Manawa Peter Gatkuoth Gual has been elected by the Nile Council of Minister as its chair for one year, an aide to the senior South Sudan government official said.

The 29th meeting of the Nile Council of Ministers was held in South Sudan’s capital Juba from November 22 to November 26 and was chaired by outgoing chair, the minister of water of the Republic of Tanazania, Eng. Mary Rrisca Majundi, who handed over to Gatkuoth during the closing session in Juba on Friday.

“South Sudan hosted the 29th Nile Council of Ministers meeting starting with a technical committee meeting from 22 November to November 25 and which will be concluded today,” Nhial Riek Bimuon, the Executive Director in the office of the Minister of Water Resources and Irrigation told Sudans Post this afternoon.

“Therefore, the Honorable Minister of Water Resources and Irrigation has been voted in as the new chair of the Nile Council of Minister for the next one year,” Riek added.

The Nile Basin Initiative is a regional institution with 10 countries: Burundi, DRC Congo, Egypt, Ethiopia, Kenya, Rwanda, South Sudan, Sudan, Tanzania, and Uganda.

Gatkuoth had told reporters in Juba on Wednesday that the country would host the regional Nile Basin Initiative meeting on Friday 26th.

“The government of the Republic of South Sudan is the host of this year’s 29th Nile-COM meeting which takes place on Friday 26th. In addition ministers for water affairs from the member states and members of the diplomatic corps shall attend the opening session of the Nile-COM meeting,” he said.

“During this occasion key Nile Basin applications and the Nile Basin Atlas will be launched by the guest of honor Vice President James Wani Igga,” he announced.