Ethiopian led river Nile agreement signed without Egypt and Sudan

by ocean
River Nile basin states have today signed an agreement on the Nile river basin cooperative framework in which they agreed to collectively work towards conserving river Nile and equitably using it’s water.

Egypt and Sudan, though member countries of the river Nile basin, did not turn up to sign the agreement following longstanding disagreements with some of it’s articles.

The countries which signed the agreement today include Ethiopia, Tanzania, Rwanda and Uganda.

The Tanzanian minister of water and irrigation underplayed fears that Egypt could militarily attack the countries which signed the agreement and bomb them from air.

Blue Nile Ethiopia

Blue Nile Ethiopia

“Egypt can not move all the way from Cairo and bomb Rwanda, Burundi or Tanzania. They are part of it’s family. They can always settle their differences amicably,” said the minister.

This follows a statement made by Mohammed Allam, minister of water resources and irrigation that “Egypt reserves the right to take whatever course it sees suitable to safeguard its share,” while adding that the north African country saw the matter as a national security issue. “Egypt’s share of the Nile’s water is a historic right that Egypt has defended throughout its history,” Mohammed Allam had threatened.

But his Tanzanian counterpart explained that “Egypt and Sudan can always join the rest and sign the agreement since there is a provision of one year in which member countries can sign.”

Although Kenya’s minister of water did not turn up to sign the agreement, the county’s ambassador to Uganda, major general Henry Okange who represented his country at the signing ceremony said that the minster failed to turn up due to state duties.

The ambassador promised that the water minister would sign the agreement in the near future. “Kenya stands by the countries which have signed the agreement. The signing of the agreement is an initiative of equitable utilization of river Nile water by countries in the Nile basin which is good,” he said.

The Nile basin countries said they were tired of first getting permission from Egypt before using river Nile water for any development project like irrigation as required by a treaty signed during the colonial era between Egypt and Britain in 1929.

Led by Ethiopia, which contributes to over 80 per cent of the Nile’s water resource and yet enjoys an insignificant share, upper riparian countries among the Nile Basin countries have long sought an equitable share and a departure from pre-independent and colonial treaties. Egypt and Sudan alone enjoy 90 per cent of the Nile River’s water resource.

Negotiations between the ten countries of the Nile Basin Initiative to sign a Cooperative Framework Agreement (CFA) have been ongoing for at least 13 years. Last month, negotiations between Nile basin member countries stalled over Cairo’s refusal to give its stamp of approval to a new Nile water share plan that could see a reduction of its water quota. Sudan has always supported Egypt.

Source: Afrik.com

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11 comments

Getachew Shibabaw May 14, 2010 - 7:02 pm

YES!! Keep on…..

Reply
Seeleshineh ስለሺነህ፡ Gelaneh ገላነህ። May 14, 2010 - 8:02 pm

እግዚአብሔር፡ፍጽጻሜውን፡ያሳምምርልልን።የግብፅ፡አምባገነንነት፡መፍፈተኑም፡
ትልልቅ፡ቁም፡ነገር፡ነው። It is about time. The tyrant Egypt have to learn how to share fairly, which is not her own property
in the first place. Cheers!!

Reply
Amdemichael Kifle May 14, 2010 - 10:02 pm

እውነትም ትልቅ፡ቁም፡ነገር፡ነው፡ እግዚአብሔር ይመስገን፡፡

አምላክ ኢትዮጵያን ይባርክ !!

Reply
Misrie ⎝⏠⏝⏠⎠ Tiyya May 14, 2010 - 11:03 pm

oh how i wish we, the people, weren’t so attention deficit and had a surplus of critical thinking. i guess no one is perfect.

Reply
Seeleshineh ስለሺነህ፡ Gelaneh ገላነህ። May 15, 2010 - 12:03 am

ተርቦ፡ተጠምቶ፡ዓብባይ፡ወገንህ፣
ተሰምማ፡መስሰለኝ፡ኅዘን፡ጸሎትህ፣
መልለስ፡ብለህ፡እየው፡እግዚአብሔር፡ይርዳህ።
አምላክ፡አያልቅብበት፡ምሕረት፣ቸርነት፣… See More
ሊያወጣህ፡ተቃርቧል፡ከእግሊዝ፡እሥሥራት።

Reply
Seeleshineh ስለሺነህ፡ Gelaneh ገላነህ። May 15, 2010 - 1:03 am

Misrie, please clarify your simplified thinking. Every one is entitled to her/his opinion. What made you upset about some of the written opinions?

Reply
Birhanu Kebede May 15, 2010 - 8:03 am

Dat is Great!!!!

Reply
Misrie ⎝⏠⏝⏠⎠ Tiyya May 16, 2010 - 12:03 am

no, sir. my simplified thinking prohibits me from explaining myself in a logical manner and you’re more in touch with my emotions than I am since i am upset but don’t know it.

Reply
Jemal Muhe May 16, 2010 - 1:02 am

time has a solution for everything…
@Misrie show me your ironic comments on this issue!

Reply
Seeleshineh ስለሺነህ፡ Gelaneh ገላነህ። May 16, 2010 - 4:02 pm

Dear Misrie,
Your emotions without you is nothing. It is like a Fish out of the river. Or without the water. So, who are you!?.

Reply
kal belachew August 19, 2010 - 8:36 am

betam teru new demo ketenesu ene enkuan beset akeme yemenesa yemeselegnal wowwwwwww betam ahun gena ye ethio hedase tegemere

Reply

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