Sudan’s Ambassador to Germany: Cooperation and Partnership Opportunities with the Global Alliance of Water Operators’ Partnerships

Last week, Sudan’s Ambassador to Germany, Ilham Ibrahim Ahmed, met with the Global Alliance of Water Operators’ Partnerships (GWOPA), a UN-Habitat initiative, in Bonn, Germany, to discuss cooperation opportunities to support the water and sanitation sector in Sudan.
The meetings addressed the prospects of utilizing the Water Operators’ Partnerships (WOPs) mechanism, which is based on the exchange of expertise and institutional capacity building among water utilities and companies worldwide, with the aim of improving service quality and enhancing the efficiency and sustainability of operating institutions.
International water expert Dr. Ammar Abdullah told Sudanhorizon that this step is particularly important given the urgent need to rehabilitate water and sanitation infrastructure in Sudan and strengthen the capacities of national institutions responsible for providing essential services to citizens. It also offers opportunities to benefit from international expertise in the areas of technical management, operation and maintenance, institutional planning, and staff development.
Dr. Ammar emphasized the importance of human capital in this context, considering it a cornerstone of recovery. He noted that capacity building, training national personnel, and restoring institutional expertise are no less crucial than rehabilitating water and sanitation infrastructure. Both are fundamental pillars for the sustainability and improvement of services.
The visit and meeting by Ambassador Ilham reflect the growing role that Sudanese diplomacy can play in building bridges of cooperation with international organizations and development partners, and in mobilizing support for vital sectors directly impacting citizens’ lives. Modern diplomacy has become an important tool for supporting development and attracting the knowledge, expertise, and resources necessary for recovery and reconstruction.
This initiative comes at a time of growing need to leverage international partnerships and specialized expertise to support efforts to rehabilitate the water and sanitation sector in Sudan, as it is a key sector for achieving recovery and sustainable development.