Minister of Finance 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 it 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.
The agreement was signed by Dr. Gebreil Ibrahim on behalf of the Ministry of Finance, David Masuki on behalf of the African Development Bank, and UNICEF Representative Sheldon Yett on behalf of UNICEF as the implementing partner.
The signing ceremony was attended by the 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 project follows the completion of technical and financial assessments that led to the merger of three previously stalled water projects suspended due to the country’s conditions.
It aims to provide safe drinking water and sanitation services in Port Sudan, enhance efficiency and sustainability of water supply systems, strengthen the capacities of local water corporations, and improve overall system resilience.
The project includes 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 rehabilitation of water services in El-Obeid using solar energy and the establishment of eight water yards in South Kordofan. Additional components include institutional strengthening, capacity-building for water authorities, and sanitation improvements.
The project will be managed through a steering committee chaired by the Ministry of Finance with membership from UNICEF and the Drinking Water Unit.
Total funding amounts to $51 million, to be disbursed in three installments linked to work plans and progress reports over an implementation period of three years beginning August 31, 2026.
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