By Kitab Unango October 16, 2024: Egypt and Sudan continue to oppose the Cooperative Framework Agreement (CFA) on the Nile waters, highlighting the importance of consensus in managing the river’s resources, while upstream countries maintain their own stance on water rights. The two downstream nations reiterated their position during a meeting of the Permanent Joint Technical Commission for Nile Waters (PJTC) on October 11 and 12, held in line with the 1959 Nile Waters Agreement. Egypt and
By Kitab Unango
October 16, 2024: Egypt and Sudan continue to oppose the Cooperative Framework Agreement (CFA) on the Nile waters, highlighting the importance of consensus in managing the river’s resources, while upstream countries maintain their own stance on water rights.
The two downstream nations reiterated their position during a meeting of the Permanent Joint Technical Commission for Nile Waters (PJTC) on October 11 and 12, held in line with the 1959 Nile Waters Agreement.
Egypt and Sudan CFA on the Nile Basin rejection is rooted in the notion that it violates established international law and disregards their water security.
Their primary concern remains the lack of inclusivity in the CFA, which was ratified by Ethiopia, Tanzania, Rwanda, Uganda, Burundi, and South Sudan.
Egypt and Sudan assert that the agreement falls short of the collaborative principles of trans-boundary water management, such as prior notification and scientific assessments, which ensure projects do not harm any nation’s water interests.
“Both Egypt and Sudan reiterate their steadfast commitment to cooperation with all Nile Basin states, in accordance with internationally recognized principles that ensure benefits for all parties while preventing harm to any riparian state.” the PJTC highlighted in their recent statement.
The Nile River is a critical resource for the eleven countries that share its basin, supporting over 300 million people.
For Egypt, whose population depends on the river for nearly all its freshwater, and Sudan, the Nile’s waters are vital for agriculture, industry, and daily consumption. To them any agreement on managing the river must account for the interests of both downstream and upstream countries.
Egypt and Sudan’s rejection of the CFA is not just about protecting their historical water rights under the 1959 agreement but also about ensuring that future developments in the Nile Basin are conducted fairly and with proper consultation.
They stress that cooperation based on international law is essential to avoid escalating tensions over water use, particularly as climate change and population growth increase the strain on the river’s resources.
Upstream countries, particularly Ethiopia, have long argued for a more equitable share of the Nile’s waters. Ethiopia, which supplies about 85% of the Nile’s water through the Blue Nile , views the CFA as a necessary step to break away from what it sees as an outdated and unequal distribution of the river’s resources.
The country has spearheaded efforts to develop the Nile’s potential, most notably through the construction of the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam (GERD), which has become a focal point of the broader Nile Basin dispute.
Ethiopia, along with other upstream countries like Uganda and Rwanda, sees the CFA as a way to assert their rights to use the Nile for their own development needs, including hydropower and irrigation projects.
They argue that the historical agreements heavily favor Egypt and Sudan and do not reflect the current realities of population growth, economic demands, and the need for energy and food security in the upstream nations.
Despite their rejection of the CFA, Egypt and Sudan have consistently expressed a willingness to cooperate with all Nile Basin states, as long as the principles of equity and inclusivity are respected.
They emphasize the need for comprehensive negotiations that consider the interests of all countries in the region, to prevent any nation from taking unilateral actions that could exacerbate tensions between upstream and downstream states.
The PJTC also called for the restoration of the Nile Basin Initiative (NBI), a cooperative effort established in 1999 to promote joint development and equitable use of the river’s resources.
Egypt and Sudan argue that a return to this platform would allow for better coordination and communication, preventing disputes over water use and fostering long-term stability in the region.
As upstream countries push for greater control over the Nile’s waters and downstream nations like Egypt and Sudan fight to protect their vital water resources, the need for an inclusive and balanced framework becomes ever more urgent.
Without a consensus-driven approach, the Nile risks becoming a source of conflict rather than cooperation, jeopardizing the livelihoods and security of millions across the region.