Respect South Sudan’s Sovereignty, Abandon vested interest in Nile Water— Minister.
The National Minister for Youth and Sports, Dr. Albino Bol Dhieu has warned South Sudanese and foreign agents who behave like double edge sword to respect Sovereignty of South Sudan by shunning sinister interest in the Nile waters until thorough feasibility studies are concluded.
Speaking after the launch of 2022 World Population Day on Thurday, the minister also cautioned the public against tapping Nile water through digging the Canal but dredging only after thorough feasibility studies are performed.
“I am telling you, we can live with water as it is the blessings and I can assure you, the next war in the world will be about water and whoever owns the water will be powerful person. We are 14 Million people and the less than 5 million affected by water can be relocated to highland and the rest can adjust to cope with how live with water”, he said.
The minister also noted that if the Nile is dug anyhow, South Sudan will in the next 20 years have a desert and that is why President stopped the plan to dig the Nile until the study is concluded.
He added that, in 1904 Jonglei Canal was a colonial project but now it is a Sovereign Country that nobody can dictate what it should do with its water and threw out the idea to the youth to continue debating about it.
Dr. Bol applauded partners in development and cooperation for their immeasurable assistance to South Sudan which has helped it stand firm on its feet given her enormous resource endowment.
“We are less populated compared to other East Africa countries for example Sudan, Ethiopia and Egypt and therefore, we should not have hunger and poverty since we have over 42 million cattle and it is where fish die of aging” he disclosed.
The minister indicated that the Nile water can be used for hydroelectric power generation as well as irrigation through creation of artificial lakes especially in areas with persistent drought,” Dr. concluded.
However, senior government officials including the country’s vice president Dr. James Wani Igga released documents last month denoting that the entire cabinet had endorsed the resumption of Jonglei Canal project in Jonglei State and dredging of Naam River in Unity State.
The two projects have divided public opinions and president Salva Kiir has responded by suspending them until scientific studies are conducted to give a way forward on how to proceed.
