New road between Egypt and Sudan to open

And who will ride the ferries across Lake Nassar? And will they be missed?

One motorcyle traveller says he would be Waiting 7-8 hours and sailing on the ferry from Aswan to for another 17-18 hours. Driving would have taken max. 5 hours.

Khartoum — The Egyptian minister of Commerce, Industry and investments Munir Fakhri Abdel-Nur announced the land crossings between with Sudan will be opened over the next few days to facilitate the flow of trade between the two countries as well as central Africa and Common Market for Eastern and Southern Africa (COMESA).

Egyptian minister of Trade, Investment and Industry Munir Fakhri Abdel-Nur

According to Egyptian news agency (MENA), Abdel-Nur made the revelation at the opening ceremony of the workshop organized by the trade agreement sector at his ministry and the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) on trade facilitation through the development of ports and border crossings management.

The minister underscored the importance of strengthening the performance of trade and transport corridors between Arab countries to increase the flow of goods and people across borders and to help achieve regional economic integration.

He also stressed the need to eliminate current obstacles and challenges that hampers the development of inter-Arab trade which Abdel-Nur Said accounts for only 10% of the total regional trade.
Observers say that the inauguration of border crossings is held up by disagreements over the Halayeb region which both countries claim.

allafrica

Egypt-Sudan highway partially paved now

 Aswan-Abu Simbel road (2007) sourced from skyscraper city

From Aswan south to Abu Simbel, the highway has been paved. Officials are excited about new opportunities for Egyptians. They make no note of the coming loss of the weekly ferry from Aswan to Wadi Halfa along the River Nile.

From AllAfrica: 

The new road will reduce the cost of goods transport by 80% percentage and reactivate the signed agreements between the two states. Sudan had already welcomed Egyptian investments in fields of agriculture, industry and fisheries that will benefit both countries.

Engineer Abdu Rabo Ahmad at the General Authority of Roads & Bridges in Aswan said that the road had been paved from Aswan to Abu-Simbil and gravelled to Qustul port with guiding signs, up to the Sudanese city Wadi Halfa.

On his part the Governor of Aswan city Major General Mustafa Al-sayied stated that Egyptian-Sudanese relations will witness a huge improvement particularly in regard to infra structure projects and rehabilitating land roads, besides improving logistical services in the High dam and Wadi Halfa ports, thus transforming Aswan and Halfa into attractive investment locations.

... the article goes on.

Beja lands expropriated?

In an extended essay outlining the outcomes of damming the Nile River, the author points out many problems. Some of the situation rests with the physical aspects of building dams - the land is flooded, but some are political - the strategy of relocating people but not developing services for them is damaging to society.

The critical essay examines options to the water agreements that ensures that Sudan allows water to flow north - Egypt is already stressed to meet the needs of 80 million people who are dependent on the Nile River. Egypt needs more land to grow crops for its people. By making deals with Sudan, it could gain access to cropland, and thus food security. Would Egyptian peasants be resettled onto Sudanese land?

A couple of unsubstantiated sentences challenge the life of Beja in parts of the east.

"In the case of the Beja people of eastern Sudan, it was announced lately that lands in the delta of al-gash and Tokar are being expropriated from the Beja under pretext of not being able to pay back loans they received from the Agriculture Bank, and then handed over to Egyptian companies."

http://theblacklistpub.ning.com/profiles/blogs/sudan-update-the-referendum

COMMENT: The Gash river flows north through Kassala into the desert, from the Eritrean highlands.
The Tokar delta is just north of the Eritrean border by the Red Sea. The Baraka River flows northeast out of the Eritrean highlands, but dries up in the delta. Both regions are very fertile, and support extensive cropping of sorghum, millet, fruits and vegetables.

Get that water pipeline built!

From Sudan Vision newspaper

President Al-Bashir directs speeding up implementation of the pipeline that carries water from River Nile to Port Sudan

(SUNA)
President of the Republic, Field Marshal Omer Al-Bashir, Sunday gave directives to speed up the necessary procedures in order to begin the work in the pipeline that carries water from the River Nile to Port Sudan

This came when the President received at the Republican Palace the Wali (Governor) of Red Sea State Dr. Mohammed Tahir Aila, who briefed him on the practical procedures so far taken to implement the pipeline, including the advanced payment of 47 million dollars and issuance of a letter of guarantee from the Central Bank of Sudan.
Meanwhile, the Wali of Red Sea State told SUNA that he briefed the President on the progress of development and services in the State, top of which are the water, electricity, education and health services.
He also reviewed the preparations of his state for the tourism season, which begins in winter, with regard to the establishment of tourist villages and restaurants in collaboration with some Sudanese banks. He further explained that the Red Sea State has gone too far in implementing popular housing project.

http://bit.ly/cXLMoL