Interests of Border Communities in Water and Pastures: Will They Influence Nile Water Policies of the Two Sudans?

Abstract

This article examines relationships between cross-border pastoralists revolving around water and pastures. Water and pastures sustain livelihoods of people sharing common border between South Sudan and Sudan. Despite this commonality, competition between pastoralists of the Sudan and South Sudan has always degenerated into violent conflicts recorded since the period of Condominium rule. However, interests of the communities living along the Kiir/Bahr al Arab and the White Nile are localised. They are now more connected to disputed borders than to wider water rights. This article demonstrates that communal demands are politicized at the national and sub-national levels. Politics distract border communities from pursuing their realistic water access and grazing needs. It is concluded that pastoralist border communities are unable to influence land and water policies while South Sudan and the Sudan maintain hostile relations.