Eastern Sudan leaders decry use of $100 million for dams

Leaders from eastern Sudan are deeply dissatisfied by the use of $100 million from the Eastern Sudan Reconstruction Fund for the benefit of Atbara and Setit dams, terming it “a clear violation of the East Sudan Agreement”.

Leader Abdullah Musa, a member the negotiation team of the East Sudan Agreement, told Radio Dabanga that the agreement stipulates not involving its fund in dams and electricity projects, which are the responsibility of the government.

He accuses the government of exploiting the East Sudan Reconstruction Fund “to support its treasury with foreign currency without implementation of the agreed development projects”.

He highlighted that the Fund has exceeded the five-year term set under the agreement.

Musa told Radio Dabanga that “during the last ten years, the Fund has failed to bring change in the lives of the people of East Sudan due to the nature of the projects implemented, as well as the corruption surrounding it”.

He said “the fund has exceeded its own mandate by implementing state governments’ development projects”.