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World Water Day 2018 in the Khartoum / Omdurman / Bahri metropolis

2 May 2018

Last update:20 April 2023

On the 28 March 2018, the UNESCO Khartoum Office in partnership with the Sudanese Ministry of Water Resources, Irrigation and Electricity (MoWR), National Commission for Education, Science and Culture (NATCOM), National International Hydrology Programme (IHP) Committee, UNICEF, WHO, UN Environment, UNOPS and UNIC celebrated the World Water Day 2018 under the patronage of H.E. the Minster of Water Resources Amb. Muataz Musa in the Mahmoud Shareef Hall of the Electricity Distribution Company, Khartoum, Sudan. The celebration attended by more than 200 people, and was honored by H.E. Amb. Muataz Musa, the Minister of Water Resources and H.E. Dr. Tabitha Botros, the State Minister in MoWR.

The event started with a welcome speech of Prof. Saif Hamad, the Chairperson of National IHP Committee and Director of Water Resources Technical Organ at the MoWR. Then, there were speeches of the representatives of UNICEF, WHO, UN Environment and UNESCO Khartoum office, where all highlighted the importance of the water theme in World Development. Dr. Abdelgadir Noureldin, the Secretary General of the Sudanese NATCOM on behalf of the Chairperson of Sudanese NATCOM, H.E. Mrs. Asia M. Abdalla, the Minister of Education, joined welcoming participants of the celebration. H.E. Amb. Muataz Musa, the Minister of Water Resources, concluded the opening session stressing the Sudan’s willingness for cooperation around water resources management, and declared 2018 as the year for groundwater. In addition, he announced an annual award for the best research in the water sciences, sponsored by the MoWR, and launched the water decade in Sudan.

During the honoring session, the MoWR highlighted the valuable contributions of such Sudanese water professionals as Prof. Hassan Fadul, Mr. Mohammed Almahdi Siddig, Mr. Mohammed Salih Mahmoud, Dr. Hamid Ahmed Alhag, and H.E. Dr. Tabitha Botros, the State Minister in MoWR. Then, Dr. Tabitha Botros, awarded the winners of an essay competition about importance of water, which was organized by the NATCOM among Sudanese high and primary schools.

©UNESCO: World Water Day 2018 in the Khartoum / Omdurman / Bahri metropolis, Sudan, 28/03/2018: Honoring session.

The participants payed tribute to Dr. Mutasim Nimir, who passed away in April 2017 because of car accident on his way to Al Dinder Biosphere Reserve during an official mission.

The draught of official speeches and ceremonies were well compensated by music and other cultural performances.

©UNESCO: World Water Day 2018 in the Khartoum / Omdurman / Bahri metropolis, Sudan, 28/03/2018: Cultural dance show by children between the WWD 2018 ceremonies.

Then, H.E. Amb. Muataz Musa launched the exhibition organized by the UN Agencies and UNESCO’s Network – with participation of UN Environment, WHO, UNICEF, UN Information Centre, UNESCO Chair of Water Resources, UNESCO Cousteau Eco-Technie Chair and UNESCO Khartoum Office.

The technical session of the World Water Day in Sudan started after lunch break with Prof. Seef Hamad as chairperson. The water professionals enjoyed by the presentations of Prof. Saad Aldeen Ibrahim “Environment and Water Resources with Emphasis on Sudan”, Mr. Tayalla Elmedani (UN Environment) “Involvement of the communities and stakeholders in the water management”, Dr. Salwa M. Abdelhameed (National MAB Committee) “Water and Nature”, Mr. Kannan Nadar (WASH programme at UNICEF) “Scaling-Up WASH access (with Nature & People Power)”, and Dr. Babiker I. Barsi (Faculty of Engineering at University of Khartoum) “Floods Early Warning Systems (FEWS)”.