Nile Dispute Intensifies: Egypt and Sudan Oppose New Water Sharing Pact

NAIROBI, Kenya - The governments of Egypt and Sudan have rejected a new agreement on the Nile River that was ratified by the Nile River Basin Cooperative Framework Agreement (CFA), in what seems to be an escalation of the dispute which has rocked the Horn of Africa region.

Six upstream countries ratified the agreement which came into force this week, further deepening the conflict among the countries which depend on the Nile River. River Nile has sources in Lake Victoria and the Ethiopian Highlands.

Historically, Cairo and Khartoum have been dominant figures on Nile Basin issues and over the weekend, they insisted that the agreement threatens to disintegrate the region. They now want restoration of the Nile Basin Initiative (NBI) which was signed in 1999.

"The six-state commission based on the incomplete CFA cannot represent the interests of the entire Nile Basin," the statement read.

The statement pointed out that the new six-member Nile River Basin Commission, born from the CFA, falls short of representing the interests of all riparian nations.

"This is not an accord that can speak for the entire Nile Basin," the PJTC declared, casting doubt on the legitimacy of the new body.

The CFA was ratified by Kenya, Ethiopia, Tanzania, Rwanda, Burundi and Uganda and would likely intensify tensions. Although the agreement aims at establishing the Nile River Basic Commission, the objections of Egypt and Sudan are clear.

The two countries maintain that the CFA is a direct challenge to historical water rights secured under the 1929 and 1959 colonial-era treaties Nile River Agreements, which allocate the majority of Nile waters to Egypt and Sudan, remain binding under international law.

Egypt for instance, relies 98% on the Nile River for the supply of water in the desert country. Over the weekend, Abdel Fattah al-Sisi maintained that Egypt would defend the Nile Basin with vigour and unapologetically, so.

"We cannot afford to lose a single drop of water," he said, reiterating the country's concerns over the construction of Ethiopia's Grand Renaissance Dam—a colossal hydropower endeavour that has become a national symbol of modernity and independence.

On the other hand, Ethiopia's Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed has hailed the CFA's ratification as a historic step towards a more equitable sharing of the Nile's bounty.

"We stand united in our vision for sustainable development, where all Nile Basin countries benefit," Abiy said earlier this year. His words, however, have not eased the growing unease downstream.

Egypt has since allied with Somalia and Eritrea, which includes the defence of Somalia’s territorial integrity following the projected aggression of Ethiopia. But Ethiopia has expressed concerns with Egypt's activities in Somalia, including plans to contribute troops to the African Union Support and Stabilization Mission in Somalia (AUSSOM) which starts operations in January 2025.

GAROWE ONLINE