Information service of the Pontifical Mission Societies since 1927
Cairo (Agenzia Fides) – Egypt has rejected a framework agreement that would call for the reduction of the Egyptian share of Nile water. Cairo, supported by Sudan, as opposed the other countries involved, directly or indirectly, in control of the longest river in Africa. The 10 countries (Burundi, Democratic Republic of Congo, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Egypt, Kenya, Rwanda, Sudan, Tanzania and Uganda) are part of the Nile Basin Initiative (NBI) and have attended a meeting in Sharm El-Sheikh (Egypt), for a new agreement to regulate the management of river water.
It has been hard to find an agreement, as Egypt is trying to defend the proportion of 55.5 billion cubic meters of water which it is entitled to according to previous agreements. In particular, the 1929 agreement, signed by Egypt and Britain, on behalf of its African colonies, said that Cairo would receive 84 billion cubic meters of water. This agreement was complemented by a Protocol signed by Egypt and Sudan in 1959, establishing a quota for Egypt of 55.5 billion cubic meters and another for Khartoum of 18.5 billion cubic meters.
The other member nations of the Nile Basin Initiative, however, intend to increase their share of exploitation of river water. Ethiopia, in particular, has plans to build a dam on the Upper Nile, which would reduce the flow of water to Sudan and Egypt.
The summit in Sharm El-Sheikh was concluded April 14 without the participants reaching a framework agreement for joint management and allocation of Nile waters. (L.M.) (Agenzia Fides 15/4/2010)
