This book presents an integrated approach drawn from the engineering, legal, geopolitical, strategic, security, diplomatic, and humanitarian sciences, as well as other disciplines related to water such as agriculture, environment, energy, navigation, health, economics, sociology, and media. This integrated approach represents the core concept upon which the Water Security Studies Center developed its research and analytical framework. To maximize benefit, the book is intended to be read in full and in sequence, as it offers a comprehensive and interconnected perspective on the various dimensions of water security in Sudan and the Nile Basin. However, if necessary, the reader may begin with the section most relevant to their interests and gradually proceed to the remaining sections, thereby completing the full picture and achieving the intended value.
The nature of water itself does not permit it to be treated as an isolated sector. Rather, it inherently connects all sectors, as emphasized by experts during the International Water Week in Stockholm in 2013. As the Almighty has decreed, water is the foundation of life.
I closely observed most of the events addressed in this book, lived through many of their phases, and was, at times, directly involved in decision-making processes. When I decided to author this work, I was deeply motivated by the sensitive nature of water resources and the potential risks associated with publishing certain information. Much of the data related to transboundary waters remains confidential, given its connection to other states or to Sudan’s national security.
The issue of water resources is complex and multifaceted. It requires advanced practical and scientific expertise and cannot be managed by a single authority that unilaterally defines state strategies or negotiation objectives. Each sector may determine its own policies, strategies, and negotiating goals; however, because water interlinks all sectors, it cannot be addressed in isolation. The state must therefore establish a unified national objective and develop its water policies and strategies in a comprehensive manner rather than through fragmented sectoral approaches.