Water resource management in South Sudan: the challenges and solutions
Student name: Mr Walgak Chuol Bel
Guide: Ms Ranjana Ray Chaudhuri
Year of completion: 2016
Host Organisation: National Institute of Disaster Management (NIDM), New Delhi
Supervisor (Host Organisation): Dr Anil. K. Gupta
Abstract: Water is most precious, irreplaceable resource and its both social and economic good that is
required by all form of lives on the planet Earth for the various application and functions. It’s
required for domestic use for navigation, health, hydropower generation, food security and
industries. SSDN has great water potential from surface water; rainwater and groundwater
resources but the scarcity and access to the “safe water†for drinking still present serious threats at
both urban and rural setting and however it requires immediate solutions. However, the high
competition from various sectors over the use of water resources had generated some conflicts
among communities and sector wise. This situation will still be getting worsened due to the lack of
effective waste and water management, unplanned grows and roaring impact of climate change.
Therefore, the pollutions contributed by various sectors such oil and gas companies and municipal
waste among others present a greater threat to water resources. There is also unregulated
consumption, a situation that will likely be leading to water scarcity concerns due to such a high rate
of usage that is thoughts to be exceeding the natural replenishment due to such a use from various
sectors to meet competing demands. Indeed such a situation would be generating intended and
unintended externalities that should possess a serious health concern for both the society and
environment. The studies had defined the critical knowledge gap, recommended the actions and
proposed a solution that would help SSDN in preparing an effective WRM and fill critical policy
gaps. The gaps founded in research regarding South Sudan’s water sector are quite enormous, some
of which could be dated back to Sudan’s fives decades long civil strife that had tremendously denied
both human, water resources and economic development for SSDN. Nonetheless, SSDN water sector
is suffering a weak Institutional setup, regulations, Acts, Rules and Policies beside both human and
financial capital limitation. Still, the most challenging factors after SSDN gain her independence
from Sudan in 2011 include lack of manpower that could be addressed by short term and long
capacity building training and technical experts assistant from national, regional and global sphere.
The lack financial capacity that could be overcome by injection of huge financial capital by donors
for development of water infrastructure contributed greatly in underdevelopment of water sector in
SSDN.
Keywords: Water Resource Management, South Sudan, Institutions, Challenges and Solutions
