Egypt, Sudan sign agreement for repairs to the Jabal Awlia dam.

Egypt and Sudan Reach Agreement to Repair Jabal Awlia Dam

Egypt and Sudan have recently reached an agreement to repair Jabal Awlia Dam by March 2026, which was damaged last November by a rapid support force. The repair plan will be implemented over a period of 16 months and includes the construction of a temporary bridge.

Jabal Awlia Dam is one of the most important water resources projects between the two countries, responsible for providing electricity and drinking water to Egypt and Southern Sudan. In November 2023, a rapid support force launched an attack, firing at Jabal Awlia Dam, causing damage and resulting in massive water leaks, affecting the water resources and power supply of both countries.

Egypt and Sudan have experienced repeated tensions in recent years due to issues surrounding the dam. In 2005, the two countries signed the Nile River Water Rights Agreement, which stipulated that Egypt could not exceed 55.5% of the water extracted from the Nile River, while Sudan could extract up to 40%. However, Sudan has consistently expressed dissatisfaction with the agreement, claiming that it has too heavily restricted its water rights.

Additionally, Egypt has long been concerned that Sudan's dam projects could impact Egypt's water resources and power supply. Egypt has submitted multiple complaints to the United Nations, requesting that Sudan halt its dam projects. Sudan, however, believes that the projects are necessary, and that failing to do so would severely impact its water resources and economic development.

The agreement to repair Jabal Awlia Dam represents an important breakthrough in the relations between Egypt and Sudan. However, this also indicates that the water rights dispute between the two countries remains unresolved. For Egypt, Jabal Awlia Dam is a critical safeguard for its water resources and power supply, while for Sudan, the dam is a key factor in its economic development and stability.

From a regional perspective, this event has demonstrated that the relationship between Egypt and Sudan is becoming increasingly close and trusting. In the future, both countries will need to actively cooperate to resolve their water rights disputes and other economic and security issues. This will have a significant impact not only on the development of the two countries, but also on the overall security and stability of the region.

For Taiwan, this event indicates that the relationship between Egypt and Sudan is becoming closer and more trusting, and that their economic and security cooperation will become more profound and intimate. This provides an important lesson and reference for Taiwan: any country should actively promote cooperation with neighboring countries to ensure its own security and development.