The River Nile is the longest river in the world, stretching over 6,600 km through 11 African countries. For centuries, the Nile has been a critical source of water and livelihood for millions of people living in Africa. But the distribution of its waters has been a source of contention between countries sharing the Nile basin.
In 1959, Egypt and Sudan signed the Nile Waters Agreement, also known as the “The Nile Treaty,” which allocated the river`s waters between the two countries. The agreement gave Egypt the majority of the water flow, with Sudan receiving a smaller share.
However, this agreement left out the other Nile basin countries, including Ethiopia, Uganda, Tanzania, Rwanda, Burundi, Kenya, and the Democratic Republic of Congo. These countries share the Nile basin, and as such, they also have a stake in the distribution of the river`s waters.
In 1999, Nile Basin countries began negotiations to establish a new agreement to govern the river`s waters, leading to the creation of the Nile Basin Initiative. The initiative aimed to promote cooperation among the countries sharing the Nile basin while safeguarding the river`s long-term sustainability.
After several years of negotiations and disagreements, in 2010, six Nile basin countries (Ethiopia, Rwanda, Tanzania, Kenya, Uganda, and Burundi) signed the Cooperative Framework Agreement (CFA), also known as the “Entebbe Agreement.”
The CFA aimed to replace the colonial-era Nile Waters Agreement and establish a new legal framework for the sharing of the Nile`s waters among all Nile basin countries. The CFA was designed to ensure that all countries shared the benefits and responsibilities of the Nile`s waters fairly and equitably.
However, Egypt and Sudan opposed the CFA, arguing that it would threaten their historical share of the Nile`s waters. Egypt, in particular, relies heavily on the Nile`s water for agriculture, domestic use, and hydroelectric power generation.
As a result, the negotiations stalled, and the CFA has not been ratified by all Nile basin countries. Nonetheless, the CFA remains a significant milestone in the efforts to establish a new legal framework for the Nile`s waters.
In conclusion, the Nile River is a vital resource that has been the subject of political tension among Nile basin countries for centuries. While the Cooperative Framework Agreement was a significant step towards establishing a new and more equitable legal framework for the Nile`s waters, its ratification remains an ongoing challenge. However, the Nile Basin countries must continue to work together to ensure that the river`s waters benefit all countries equitably while preserving its long-term sustainability.