This paper summarizes the national comprehensive strategy of the Sudan with respect to the application of the participatory approach and the role of the community in the planning, development and management of water resources at the local state and national levels as the country is practising the federal rule.

 It defines the stakeholders and the factors that are pertinent to their participation.

 At the top the Sudan has a national water resources Council to draw up policies and plans taking into account the bottom up approach.

In the irrigation sector where the country adopts the policy of economic liberalization, the privatization and partnership and ownership of the farmers to the irrigation schemes, the farmers provide financement and participate in the Board of Directors and Water User associations. The government handles the extension services and the operation of the major infrastructure in lieu of water charges.

We have catered for the training of the various water users by an institute in Gezira University.

The participation of the stakeholders required a criteria for decision making comprising farmers, equity, reversibility, consensus and evaluation of risk, analysis of questionnaires and the use of modelling as decision support system.

 

The paper defines the facilitating role of the NGO’s.

The role of women in the provision of drinking water and as a farmer in the rural areas is described as well as the role of highly educated women in the planning process.

Public awareness is well carted for among the public and water users with respect to the economic rational use, conservation environmental aspects through the mass media, education etc.

Our national policy of integrated planning of water resources is illustrated indicating the institutional set-ups, the role of the national council, the water resources assessment, the demand management, the preparation of national master plans, the use of technology, capacity building, enhancing research on climate change, drought, desertification impact, enactment and enforcement of legislation.

The paper also deals with the Nile Basin cooperation aspects, the transboundary Nile water agreements, the cooperation within the hydromet studies of the equatorial lakes and the development and environmental protection of the Nile (Tecconile), the consensus of the riparians to establish a cooperative framework to look into the equitable use of the Nile Waters in accordance with the international conventions and the U.N Convention adopted in May 1997. The paper also deals with the institutional aspects relating to conflict resolution regarding shared water.

1. INSTITUTIONAL MANAGEMENT:

Comprises participatory approach, integrated planning and shared waters.

PARTICIPATORY APPROACH IN WATER MANAGEMENT AND THE ROLE OF THE COMMUNITY AND WOMEN:

1.1. Sudan strategy:

The National Comprehensive Strategy of the Sudan adheres great importance to the concept of the participatory approach and the role of the Community and women and all other stakeholders in the planning, development and management of the national natural resources with particular reference to the water resources management. The community participation and the Role of Women in the local, state and national planning and co-management of water resources are principles that are incorporated in our strategy.

1.1.1. Stakeholders:

 Globally it is known that stakeholders include national Governments (line Ministries, Municipalities, Parastatal Agencies) as well as Non-Governmental organizations, the Public that is the people at large who include special interest groups, women, farmers, households, user associations, farmers groups, local communities and the private sector. Recently the definition of stakeholders encompasses as well the world community and the future generations.

 The stake includes access to water, the options for future use, the protection for long term availability and land security.

 We believe that the stakeholder participation is influenced by inter-disciplinary conditions beyond the water resources management such democratization, political stability, good governance, appropriate policy, enabling and regulator environment, and of vital importance the clearly defined development objectives and ranking of priorities

 We give great importance to the stakeholders participation and partnership in water resources planning and management for all water uses encompassing drinking, sanitation, irrigation, hydropower, industries, navigation as well as environmental protection.

1.2. Community Participation at the National and State Levels:

 In the Sudan where we practice federal rule right at the top we have the National Water Resources Council established vide the National Water Ordinance, composed of governmental and non governmental stakeholders to draw up policies, plans and programmes at the federal and also at the state levels taking into account the bottom up approach emanating from the local rule organizations for most of the water uses, but with respect to the Nile Waters there is need to have a great deal of centralization.

1.3. Participation in Irrigation:

 As one of the most important uses in the Sudan is in the field of irrigation and in accordance with the policy of economic liberalization, privatization, the partnership of the farmers has been pronounced in the major irrigation schemes where they provide the financement and participate effectively in the Boards of Directors and in the Water Users Associations at the irrigation Divisions levels. The Government handles the agricultural extension services administration and the operation and maintenance of the dams, the irrigation and drainage network and infrastructure in lieu of water charges to be paid by the farmers as cost recovery for the depreciation of the infrastructure and the operation and maintenance cost. This participatory approach has given the farmers empowerment, and enabled them to be provided with enlightenment and training, and provided for cost recovery, and consequently for the rational, economic and efficiency of the water use. Under the participatory irrigation systems management policy in the Sudan, responsibility for resource mobilization and management from distributory channel to field channels levels is now undertaken by the farmers organizations. The irrigation Water Corporation (The Government in participation with the stakeholders) retains the responsibility for operation and maintenance of the head system and main stem. Farmers participate in the choice of crops based on the results of research work and on the economic benefits to be accrued.

1.4. Training and Data:

 As many of the water users lack the skills required for effective management of the complex water programmes at the grass root level, we have catered for the need for intensive communication, education and training for water users to grasp the basics. The water management and irrigation Institute, University of Gezira has been established to provide training for various levels of managers and users.

 We believe that participation should be based on data and information where the interests of data providers and data users must be recognized.

1.4.1. Decision Making :

 Our experience has revealed that decisions relating to water resources use requires participation of stakeholders to avoid conflicting interests and to ensure sustainability which normally encompasses the technical, economic, social, environment and to some extent the political facets.

 As such a criteria for the decision making with respect to sustainability comprises:

 Fairness or equity to ensure acceptance of large scale project alternatives by the affected stakeholders.

 Reversibility which is the measure of the degree to which the negative impacts can be mitigated.

 Risk, as it is necessary to involve the participation of stakeholders in the process of identifying and quantifying any social, economic or environmental risk that may be associated with each project alternative.

 Consensus which depends on the value judgement and compromise with regard to the participating stakeholders perspectives.

1.5. Participatory Role of NGO’s:

 We believe that the role of the participation of the NGOS in the water sector should be that of a facilitator working with the local partner organizations within the national policy to promote community activity, poverty alleviation, networking, dissemination of information from the research level to the field workers and improving cost recovery and funding for rural projects.

1.6. Questionnaire, meetings, etc.:

 Participation of stakeholders in the decision making process requires gathering input through drawing up and distributing questionnaire, analysing the responses, convening meetings and workshops to arrive at consensus on common interests and managing conflicts positively.

1.7. Decision Support Aids:

 We are planning to embark on applying the decision support systems which comprise computer based models and data base together with the interactive user interfaces used for creating, analysing and presenting information. But since many decision support system end users may not be experts in modelling, it is necessary to have interaction in real world language such as actors, goals, strategies, tactics or actions to be taken.

1.8. The Role of Women:

 In the Sudan the woman in the rural areas draws water from the water wells and water points and carries it to the household use. The woman in the rural areas and in the irrigation and rainfed schemes as a farmer assists in the agricultural process including watering, draining, seeding, harvesting and picking etc. The Woman could be elected in the water users' associations. The Women who are elected in the membership of the local and provincial rule committees participate in the planning and supervision of the development and management and use of drinking water supply, sanitation, small scale irrigation, water use for local industries etc. Women who spend some of their time as pastoralists in some villages cater for drinking water supplies to the animals. Women take the necessary steps to ensure that water remains clean, safe and healthy. Women in the Sudan receive education at all levels and there are many women specialized in economic planning, working in the national and state planning departments for which the planning and the development of water for various uses falls within their responsibility. As such the Sudan's women gender abilities and interests are articulated in all aspects of water uses.

1.9. Public Awareness:

 The National Strategy of Sudan considers enhancing public awareness as an important aspect in the participatory approach process particularly among water users and also as a key factor for enhancing sustainable water resources management. It is also necessary for making available knowledge to the Public about the water resources availability and demand as well as planning, development and also about the economic, social, environmental and management aspects.

 Increased Public awareness is vital for the rational use and environmental protection of water resources and for making them aware of the importance of the conservation of the limited water supply and the concept of water as having economic and social value and as being a finite resource endowed with supply constraints and alerting them to the danger of water pollution that induces water borne diseases which are detrimental to the health of human beings and animals and to the human productivity. The protocols for the collection and transfer of data and information and the interests of data providers and users must be known to the Public and transparent to all participants.

 Such awareness is provided to the public through education, radio, television, communication, the press, printed material, information packages etc.

2. INTEGRATED PLANNING:

2.1. We adopt the policy of integrated planning the key factor of which is the appropriate assessment and analysis of water resources availability and Demand through continuous monitoring of data information and updating of the national water development and management plans.

2.2. Institutionally we have a National Water Resources Council composed of all the institutions involved in water planning and use whose task is to formulate the general national water resources policy pertinent to the water resources inventory, assessment, the rational management and use, the environmental protection and the integrated and balanced development of water resources.

The Council draws up plans and programmes with defined priorities. It formulates and submits recommendations with respect to the water resources shared with other riparians as well as review of legislation pertinent to the development and protection of water resources. In essence this national Council enhances the concept of the integrated water resources planning and management towards efficient water use and development and water quality and environment protection and the supervision of the abstraction of water for all uses.

2.3. We have drawn up plans to upgrade hydrological and meteorological stations and have developed a computerized system for data analysis and dissemination and embarking on the development of a data bank comprising surface water, groundwater and water quality data.

2.4. We are continuously reviewing the operation rules of large dams in the Country

e.g. Sennar, Roseiris, and Khashm El Girba Dams.

2.5. We are periodically reviewing the crop water requirements for irrigation and the drinking and sanitation water requirements according to the size of rural and urban population as well as the requirements for industrial development.

2.6. We are embarking on development of computerized, mathematical water resources management model for the integrated water balance studies on the Nile tributaries, the reservoirs, the irrigation and other water abstractions and which can be utilized for determining the operational policies and planning scenarios.

2.7. On the impact side we are improving the water management methodologies and procedures particularly for supporting national capabilities for assessing the environmental, social and economic impacts of the water resources projects, and to enhance conservation and efficient water use and public awareness.

2.8. With respect to the climate change and its impact on drought and desertification we have plans to mitigate the impact of drought and to promote studies on the climate.

 2.9. Our policy aims at enhancing cooperation with the Nile Basin Countries and building confidence for the equitable use of the Nile waters for the benefit of all riparians.

2.10. We have enacted and enforced several water related legislation such as the National Water Resources Ordinance, the Irrigation Ordinance, Water Pollution Control Act, Fisheries Protection Ordinance, Water Hyacinth Combatment Ordinance and River Transport ordinance.

THE NILE BASIN WIDE COOPERATION, TRANSBOUNDARY WATER AGREEMENTS, LESSONS LEARNED AND CHALLLENGES AND OPPORTUNITIES:

 3 . Agreements, Conventions, Legal and Institutional Framework for Cooperation:

3.1. The Sudan has been partner in the historical bilateral agreements such as the preindependence 1902 Agreement between the Emperor of Ethiopia and the British government on behalf of the Sudan on the Blue Nile, the Sobat and Lake Tana as well as the post-independence 1959 Nile Water Agreement with Egypt.

3.2. With respect to the cooperative arrangement the Sudan was a participant in the Hydromet cooperative institutional framework (1967 to 1992) and in the TECCONILE established since 1992 and in the Panel of Experts which looks into the formation of a basin wide cooperative framework acceptable to all.

3.3. The Nile Basin countries are cooperating within the basin wide project of the Technical Cooperation for the promotion of development and environmental protection of the Nile Basin the countries of the Nile Basin agreed to establish a Technical Advisory Committee composed of the representatives of the Nile Basin to undertake the implementation of the Action Plan in collaboration with the World Bank until a permanent cooperative framework for the Nile Basin is agreed to.

 The conservation and use of the Nile Basin and other shared water resources should be in a sustainable and environmentally sound manner through Basin wide cooperation for the benefit of all and in recognition of the principle of equitable utilization without causing appreciable/significant harm to other users. This has to be based on mutual understanding and good faith.

Agreement for the Law of the International non-navigational water courses May 1997.

3.4. The negotiations for a cooperative framework may touch on the legal approaches or doctrines that comprise the absolute territorial integrity theory, the community of the co-riparian states interest theory or the optimum development of the basin approach, the equitable apportionment theory, and then the prior appropriation theory.

3.5. The negotiations to achieve NILE BASIN cooperative framework for defining the equitable utilization without causing appreciable harm have to grasp and agree on the interpretation and application of the principles and norms of the international water law to the Nile Basin. In this respect we should take into consideration the HELSINKI Rules of 1966 and the U.N CONVENTION ADOPTED BY THE UN GENERAL ASSEMBLY on 2/5/1997 based on the International Law Commission draft articles on the non-navigational uses of International Watercourses. Those rules are general principles and guidelines for the negotiations of specific agreements on shared or international water courses and they contain factors that are normally taken into consideration with respect to the concept of the equitable use.

 It is to be emphasized that the factors relevant to the reasonable and equitable use stipulated in the HELISINKI Rules and in the UN CONVENTION of 1997 are only indicative and not exhaustive. As such the riparian countries have to negotiate and agree on the factors that are relevant and applicable to the Nile Basin. These factors normally comprise the technical, social and economic aspects such as the hydrology, geography, economic and social, existing and potential utilization of water, economic development projects other than water resources, population dependent on the waters in question, the extent of the water resource in each riparian state, the contribution of each etc... as in article 6 of the UN Convention of 1997.

3.6. It is considered as a prerequisite to develop national master plans that can be integrated into a basin wide cooperative plan.

3.7. The Sudan also believes that the speeding up of the establishment of the Nile Basin Regional holistic data base/information system will be a useful tool for the cooperative framework to study the equitable use of the Nile waters without causing appreciable or significant harm.

3.8. We believe that the concept of prior consultations should be adhered to at the bilateral and multilateral levels to resolve problems and avoid conflicts.

3.9. The Sudan believes that even before the desired basin wide cooperative framework is agreed upon, Cooperation can take place with respect to exchange of data, multipurpose joint projects that serve the benefits of both d/s and U/S riparians (hydropower, regulation) as well as on joint hydro-meteorological studies of the upper tributaries and on the management of watersheds.

3.10. With Respect to Conflict Resolution regarding Shared Waters:

 3.10.1. We believe that the best way to resolve conflicts amicably is through direct mutual negotiations and consultations with a view to arriving at acceptable solutions.

 3.10.2. If a conflict could not be resolved through negotiations and consultations to reach an amicable settlement, the involved riparians themselves shall decide what next step they will follow as there are the possibilities of mediation or conciliation or whatever they can agree upon. If riparian states go to arbitration to resolve conflict, the arbitral award should be final and binding.