Water Diplomacy: Sudan’s Gateway to Strengthening Regional and International Cooperation (1/4)

Dr Ammar Abkar Abdallah
Amid rapid global transformations, water is no longer merely a technical or service-related issue; it has become one of the most critical issues in national security, foreign policy, and sustainable development. The world is witnessing increasing pressure on water resources due to climate change, population growth, urban expansion, and geopolitical competition over transboundary resources.
International estimates indicate that more than 2.2 billion people worldwide lack access to safely managed drinking water services, with global demand expected to rise by nearly 30% by 2050. In this context, water has become a central element in regional and international peace and security equations, and a key component on the agenda of the United Nations, regional unions, and global financial and development institutions.
Today, the world contains around 286 transboundary river and lake basins shared by two or more countries, according to data from the United Nations and UNESCO. These include major rivers such as the Nile River, Danube River, Mekong River, and the Tigris–Euphrates river system, upon which hundreds of millions depend for drinking water, agriculture, energy, and transport. Additionally, there are more than 592 transboundary aquifers worldwide, reflecting the complexity and interdependence of shared water resource management.
UN reports further indicate that approximately 60% of global freshwater flows originate from shared water sources, while more than 153 countries contain territory within transboundary basins. Consequently, sound management of these resources has become a strategic issue directly linked to national security, regional stability, economic development, and international cooperation.
Conversely, international reports warn that the absence of cooperation and coordination in managing shared waters may lead to escalating disputes and regional tensions, particularly in fragile and climate-affected regions. This has led to the emergence of the concept of “water diplomacy” as a modern tool to enhance dialogue, build trust, and transform shared rivers from potential flashpoints into platforms for cooperation, development, and regional integration.
From Traditional to Specialised Diplomacy
Within this framework, the growing role of Sudan’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation stands out as the sovereign coordinating platform for external water issues. This role operates in integration with the Ministry of Agriculture and Irrigation (Irrigation and Water Resources sector), the Ministry of Environment (Higher Council for Environment and Natural Resources), the Ministry of Justice, the Ministry of Health, the Ministry of Transport, and other technical and security bodies.
Managing transboundary water is no longer the responsibility of a single sector; it has become a comprehensive national process intersecting diplomacy with international law, hydrology, security, investment, and regional cooperation—serving Sudan’s national interests while strengthening its presence in regional and international water-related forums.
In light of these global shifts across water, climate, energy, and food security, diplomatic missions can no longer be judged solely by their traditional political or protocol roles. They are increasingly required to perform specialised functions tied directly to the strategic interests of the state. Among the most prominent of these is water diplomacy.
Sudanese embassies and consulates are therefore called upon to develop their institutional capacities and tools, transitioning from traditional representation to “specialised water diplomacy”. This includes monitoring shared basin issues, tracking global trends in water, climate, and environmental policies, and analysing their implications for Sudan’s water security.
Diplomatic missions also play a pivotal role in building technical, scientific, and financial partnerships with international and regional institutions, and in attracting cooperation opportunities in water infrastructure, hydrological monitoring systems, modern technologies, and capacity-building. Moreover, they serve as key platforms to support Sudan’s negotiating position on transboundary water issues by strengthening engagement with research centres, policymakers, and international financial institutions.
These roles are becoming increasingly important given the strong interlinkages between water, energy, food, migration, and regional stability. Sudanese embassies effectively constitute the “first line of diplomatic defence” for the country’s water interests abroad. Water is no longer an isolated technical issue—it is a sovereign and strategic matter where foreign policy intersects with economic development, security, and sustainability.
Accordingly, there is a pressing need to strengthen specialised expertise within Sudan’s diplomatic missions and to expand coordination between the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and national technical institutions. This will help build a modern Sudanese water diplomacy capable of safeguarding national interests and enhancing Sudan’s regional and global presence in water, climate change, and transboundary cooperation issues.
From the Nile Basin to the World: Features of Sudanese Water Diplomacy
In the upcoming parts of this series, the analysis will move towards the immediate regional dimension of Sudanese water diplomacy, particularly through examining the Nile Basin Initiative as a strategic priority in Sudan’s foreign policy. This includes efforts to strengthen cooperation with upstream and downstream countries, to develop both technical and political roles in managing shared water resources, and to address the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam and the importance of coordinated technical and sovereign approaches to complex water challenges.
The discussion will then expand to explore Sudan’s position within the global water governance system in Geneva and New York, and the opportunities this provides to shape international rules and influence the UN agenda. Further analysis will examine the diplomatic, financial, and knowledge dimensions in key global hubs such as Riyadh, Jeddah, Paris, Tunis, and Washington—as centres of decision-making, financing, and technological transfer in the water sector.
Ultimately, the vision is to establish an integrated national unit for Sudanese water diplomacy—capable of transforming Sudan’s role from a passive recipient into an active and influential player in shaping the future of regional and international water cooperation.
Specialist in Integrated Water Resources Management

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