Khartoum: Finance Minister Dr. Gebreil Ibrahim on Thursday signed an agreement at the Ministry of Finance in Khartoum with the African Development Bank (AfDB) and UNICEF, acting as the third-party implementing agency, to restructure the portfolio of stalled water projects and convert them into an 'Emergency Water and Sanitation Project for Port Sudan and North and South Kordofan States' valued at $51 million and financed by the AfDB.
According to Sudan News Agency, the agreement was signed by Dr. Gebreil Ibrahim on behalf of the Ministry of Finance, David Masuki on behalf of the African Development Bank (AfDB), and UNICEF Resident Representative Sheldon Yett on behalf of UNICEF as the third-party implementing agency.
The signing ceremony was attended by Director-General of the External Financing Administration Ikhlas Mohamed Ali, the ministry's legal adviser Amir Ibrahim, UNICEF Resource Mobilization Manager Robin Filenza, and UNICEF Water, Sanitation and Hygiene Specialist Shaza Al-Khawad, in addition to representatives of relevant directorates.
The agreement was signed following the completion of technical and financial evaluations for the new project, which resulted from the merger of three stalled water projects suspended due to the country's conditions.
The project aims to provide safe drinking water and sanitation services in Port Sudan while ensuring sustainability, efficiency in supply and distribution, strengthening the capacities of local water companies, and enhancing the resilience of water systems.
The project includes the development of resilient water infrastructure through rehabilitation of the Arbaat well field and transmission networks, construction of a desalination plant with a capacity of 10,000 cubic meters, and dams at Kilometer 14. It also includes emergency interventions to rehabilitate water services in El-Obeid using solar energy and the establishment of eight water yards in South Kordofan. In addition, the project encompasses institutional strengthening, capacity-building for water authorities, and improvements in sanitation services.
The project will be managed through a steering committee chaired by the Ministry of Finance with the membership of UNICEF and the Drinking Water Unit.
The total funding amounts to $51 million, to be disbursed in three installments linked to the completion of work plans and reports over an implementation period of three years beginning on August 31, 2026.