EU and Darfur Regional Authority inaugurate large water project in North Darfur

During a joint press conference in Khartoum held by the European Union Mission in Sudan and the Darfur Regional Authority (DRA) the Wadi Elkou project for water harvest management in North Darfur was inaugurated. Dr Tijani Sese, the Head of the Darfur Regional Authority (DRA) explained in the press conference, held on Thursday that the water project is located west of El Fasher, the capital of North Darfur. It covers 50 km and will, by providing water and natural resources, prevent the occurrence of friction between pastoralists and farmers.  It will also contribute, he said, to the return of the displaced persons to their areas, since scarcity of resources was one of the most important reasons for the war. The area, Sese added, is one of the most vulnerable for desertification and other environmental impacts. He noted that “we strive to make this project a model for other areas of Darfur.“ The EU is financing the project with 6.45 million euros. It will be implemented by the United Nations Program for Development in collaboration with the DRA and the North Darfur state authorities “in support of peace and sustainable development.” Dr Amin Hassan Omar, the head of the Darfur Peace Agreement (DPA) Follow-up Office commented that the implementation of the water project means “switching from a focus on humanitarian aid by 100 per cent towards early recovery and rehabilitation projects.”He noted that the project is also a practical proof of the EU’s commitment to the development of Darfur and to the solution of its conflicts, explaining that scarcity of resources is one of the causes of the conflicts in the region.Omar stated that the Wadi Elkou project will benefit 87,000 farmers and shepherds, about 430,000 citizens of El Fasher and about 220,000 displaced people. File photo by Albert Gonzalez Farran/Unamid