The collaboration began with a study tour to South Africa where Darfuri water professionals learnt about the post-apartheid reforms to water management. The ideas resonated well and a second tour was undertaken with political decision makers from across the three Darfur states. These tours, and the vision statements produced by the delegates, became the platform for the development of Integrated Water Resources Management (IWRM) in Darfur in particular and in Sudan in general and also supported the process that has now progressed to the development of the first major participatory catchment management project in the region.