Sudan’s El Gedaref, Kassala face ‘historic’ drinking water crisis

Report by Suleiman Siri for Radio Dabanga

The city of El Gedaref and other areas in eastern Sudan, including Hameshkoreib in Kassala state, are witnessing a marked worsening of the drinking water crisis. Journalist and commentator Tarek Osman described the situation in El Gedaref state as a “historic” crisis, despite the state being rich in rainwater during the rainy season. He said previous responses had been emergency measures rather than long-term solutions.

Osman told Radio Dabanga that the crisis is a recurring, long-standing problem that resurfaces each summer. Although the state benefits from abundant rainfall during the rainy season, hardship returns sharply with the onset of summer.

He attributed the crisis to decades of reliance on temporary fixes by successive governments, rather than addressing the root causes.

He added that a project intended to provide a lasting solution to El Gedaref’s water problem had begun in recent years, but stalled security conditions and the situation in the country following the Sudan conflict April 2023. This led to the suspension of the project, alongside the accumulation of unpaid dues to the contractor, which remain unresolved.

Osman said that government budgets over the past three years have largely been directed towards supporting the war effort, contributing to the halt of the project. “Despite completion exceeding 90%, according to official estimates, it remains suspended,” he said.

He noted that completed works include transmission lines, distribution stations, and parts of the internal network. However, he argued that the issue is not simply the remaining 10% of the project, as completing it faces financial obstacles—chief among them contractor payments exceeding $7m, according to available information.

He stressed that achieving a lasting solution depends primarily on political will. Although budgets have repeatedly been allocated to address water shortages in El Gedaref state, he said the funds often go to unclear channels without producing tangible results.

“Each year, both the state and federal budgets allocate funds—especially under services—for solving the drinking water problem in El Gedaref, yet when implemented, the result is zero,” he said.

He added that the state government is pursuing emergency measures to address the crisis, which he described as temporary solutions. These include drilling new wells, relying on alternative water stations such as groundwater sources, and limited rainwater harvesting projects—efforts he said are minimal compared with the volume of water the state receives during the roughly four-month rainy season.

Hameshkoreib, Kassala

The area of Hameshkoreib in Kassala state is facing a severe water shortage amid a sharp decline in available sources, leading to widespread hardship among residents.

Local sources said the crisis has worsened in recent days due to drying wells and weak water supply, negatively affecting daily life.

They added that residents are being forced to travel long distances in search of drinking water, prompting urgent calls for authorities and humanitarian organisations to intervene swiftly to find sustainable solutions and prevent further deterioration.