and the ambitions of British policy. 85 for engineering to reach its peak, the state that extends its rule over the Nile region possesses control over Egypt's water. Therefore, Sudan is essential for Egypt, even more so than the city of Alexandria." However, the people of Sudan, on the other hand, benefit greatly from Egyptian civilization, which is the only one that suits them. They consider Egypt as their elder sister, whose language they speak and whose customs and morals they find comforting. This mutual inclination, and this union in morals and ideas, is a natural consequence of that historical event, which is that the Arabs who came to Egypt and the Arabs who settled and spread in Sudan originate from one source. It is not hidden that the descendants of these are today the most prominent and enlightened among the inhabitants of Sudan. And by our request to return Sudan to Egypt, we would be making it our partner, with our rights and our obligations.

Evacuation and Colonization of Sudan This is not the place to delve into the circumstances that led to the evacuation of Sudan in 1884. We will suffice to point out that the Sharifian ministry opposed this evacuation. When it was forced upon them, Egypt resigned, arguing that "Egypt had no right to agree to the evacuation of Sudan, and that accepting England's advice without discussion was contrary to the constitution of August 28, 1878, which stipulated that the Khedive rules in conjunction with his ministry."

When Sudan was reopened, Egypt was also forced to accept the agreement of January 19, 1899, which placed Sudan under the joint rule of England and Egypt, after it had been Egyptian. This agreement, which gave Egypt only a passive role, a mere shadow, effectively led to the actual annexation of Sudan by the British Empire. But what is the legal value of the aforementioned agreement?