Minister of Irrigation and Water Resources, Mohamed Abdel-Aati met his South Sudanese counterpart Manawa Peter Gatkuoth on Thursday for co-operation talks.
Minister Abdel-Aati highlighted close relations between Cairo and Juba.
His talks with the South Sudanese minister and his accompanying delegation covered a wide range of issues, including progress on joint projects between the two countries.
“Co-operation between Egypt and South Sudan is long standing,” the Egyptian minister said, adding that several joint development projects were carried out between the two African states in recent years.
“These projects benefit South Sudanese citizens and help advance sustainable development in the African country. They also contribute to raising living standards for the South Sudanese people,” Abdel-Aati said.
Egypt has dug six wells in Juba and installed a centrifugal pump in the northwestern city of Wau to raise water from rivers and canals, the minister said.
Egypt also constructed wharves on rivers through cities in South Sudan to facilitate river transport between them, the minister added.
“We also established a water purification plant for tributaries in the Bahr al-Ghazal drainage basin, which will create jobs and develop fisheries in the area.” he said, noting that the plant would also protect villages and farmland from flooding.
He revealed that his ministry is currently preparing technical and economic feasibility studies for the multi-purpose Wau Dam project in South Sudan.
