Order of the Two Niles

This article is about a Sudanese Order. For an Egyptian Order, see Order of the Nile.
Order of the Two Niles
وسام النيلين
Badge of the Grand Cordon
Awarded by Sudan
TypeOrder of Merit
Established16 November 1961
CountrySudan
Awarded forProviding great services to the state
StatusCurrently constituted
Classes
Grand Cordon (Class I)
Grand Officer (Class II)
Commander (Class III)
Officer (Class IV)
Knight (Class V)
Precedence
Next (higher)Order of the Republic
Next (lower)Order of Merit, Order of Distinction, or Order of Righteous Son of Sudan

Ribbon bar of the order

The Order of the Two Niles (Arabic: وسام النيلين, romanized: Wisām an-Nīlayni) is a state decoration of Sudan established on 16 November 1961 during Ibrahim Abboud's military government. The Order of the Two Niles – White and Blue Niles – is Sudan's second-highest honour after the Order of the Republic. The order is given to Sudanese and foreigners, civilians and military, who provided great services to the state. The order has five classes.

Classes

Name Image Notes
Class I, Grand Cordon Awarded to the head of state and ambassadors to Sudan at the end of their office term.
Class II, Grand Officer Given to ministers and generals.
Class III, Commander Awarded to colonels, lieutenant colonels, and civilians of similar rank.
Class IV, Officer Awarded to majors and captains and civilians of similar rank.
Class V, Knight Awarded to lieutenants and below and civilians of similar rank.

Insignia

The star, sash, and badge make up the First Class insignia. The star has ten points and is covered in gold. A ten-ended star is created by superimposing two five-pointed stars with truncated rays on top of one another. The surfaces of the stars are covered with vertical and, consequently, horizontal rays. The star consists of four layers and is particularly huge (102 mm) and heavy (8 1⁄2 ozs). A 40 mm white medallion sits in the middle with the inscription in dark blue: "El Nilein Arabic: النيلين", or "The Two Niles" in Arabic calligraphy. The gold medallion is attached to the ribbon by means of a transition element in the form of a rhinoceros pendant. Rhinoceros was the Republic of Sudan emblem until it became the Democratic Republic of Sudan and changed the emblem in 1985 to a secretarybird. The ribbon is Royal blue moiré with two 5 mm white stripes toward each edge and is 51 mm wide. The badge is of the same pattern but smaller, measuring 58 mm across.

Class II consists of the star and a neck badge, Class III consists of a neck badge, and Class IV and V consist of chest badges. The insignia is made by Garrard & Co (London, England), Eng Leong Medallic Industries and Bichay (Cairo, Egypt).

Notable recipients

Class I: Grand Cordon

Class II: Grand Officer

Class III: Commander

Unknown class