South Sudan’s Jonglei Canal project will be divisive

Significance

The consultations followed major public protests after it emerged the government had in 2021 signed a secret deal with Cairo to restart the project, which would boost Egypt’s water supply.

Impacts

• Opacity around the project will aggravate concerns about graft within South Sudan’s government.
• Dams are central to regional development plans, but South Sudan may remain an exception, as Egypt exerts pressure against such projects.
• South Sudan will try to remain neutral in contentious talks over Ethiopia’s mega-dam project, to avoid ruptures with its neighbours.