Nile nations agree on water-sharing without Egypt’s nod

Nile nations agree on water-sharing without Egypt’s nod

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Nile Basin Initiative (NBI):

• The Nile Basin Initiative (NBI), a regional partnership of 10 countries, announced that a cooperative framework for the equitable use of Nile River resources has come into effect.
• The legal status of the “cooperative framework” was confirmed by the African Union after South Sudan joined the treaty.
• Signatory nations:
  • South Sudan joined the agreement.
  • Ethiopia, Uganda, Rwanda, Burundi, and Tanzania have already ratified the accord.
  • Egypt and Sudan declined to sign, Congo abstained, and Kenya has not yet deposited its ratification documents.
• The agreement aims to ensure sustainable and equitable usage of the Nile’s water.
• The Treaty envisages the establishment of a permanent institutional mechanism, the Nile River Basin Commission (NRBC).
  • The Commission would serve to promote and facilitate the implementation of the Cooperative Framework Agreement (CFA) and to facilitate cooperation among the Nile Basin States in the conservation, management and development of the Nile River Basin and its waters.
• Concerns:
  • However, its lack of ratification by Egypt and Sudan, which rely heavily on the Nile’s water resources, raises concerns.
  • Both nations fear that the accord could diminish their water shares.
  • Tensions have heightened due to Ethiopia’s $4 billion Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam (GERD) on the Blue Nile, which Egypt worries could reduce water supplies vital for irrigation and drinking water downstream unless Ethiopia addresses its concerns.

About the Nile River Basin:

• The Nile River basin is one of the most significant and historically important river systems in the world.

1. Geography:

• The Nile is the world’s longest river, stretching approximately 6,650 kilometers (4,132 miles).
• It flows northward through northeastern Africa, eventually emptying into the Mediterranean Sea.

2. Major tributaries:

• Blue Nile: Originates from Lake Tana in Ethiopia
• White Nile: Begins in the Great Lakes region of central Africa
• The White and Blue Niles merge at Khartoum, the capital of Sudan.

3. Countries involved: The Nile basin includes 11 countries: Egypt, Sudan, South Sudan, Ethiopia, Uganda, Kenya, Tanzania, Rwanda, Burundi, Democratic Republic of Congo, and Eritrea.
4. Historical importance:

• Ancient Egyptian civilization developed along the Nile’s banks.
• The river has been crucial for agriculture, transportation, and development for thousands of years.

5. Environmental concerns:

• Climate change impacts on water availability
• Pollution and ecosystem degradation

Source: TH