Dar el Salaam | Egypt has said it needs more time before it can sign the final treaty on the use of the River Nile. Ten African countries Uganda, Democratic Republic of Congo, Egypt, Ethiopia, Kenya, Rwanda, Sudan, Tanzania, Burundi and Eritrea that share the river’s water resources are pushing for a permanent body that would allow for equitable water use. But Egypt is likely to delay the process because it wants to carry out more consultation on the issue of water security before it signs the treaty.
In Dar el Salaam, Tanzania, last week, during celebrations to mark 10 years of the Nile Basin Initiative, a transitional arrangement that would give way to a permanent commission, the Egyptian minister for Water and Irrigation, Dr Mohamed El-Din Allam, said a few contentious issues need to be resolved. “We very much want to see a Commission in place but we need more time. We are working day and night towards such a deal. In the last six months, I have made 34 trips among the Nile Basin countries to see that we sign this agreement, but it will require more time,” Dr Allam said.
A cooperative framework agreement would ensure a permanent commission is put in place to govern and regulate the use of the water resources but the issue of water security remains unresolved because Egypt has not agreed to it.
Speedy commitment
Under a 1929 agreement between Britain and Egypt, the Nile Basin countries are required to seek permission from Cairo before embarking on large scale projects that would affect the level and flow of the river waters.
Apart from Egypt, all the nine countries say they are ready to sign the cooperative framework agreement and have called for a speedy process. Eng. Shilingi-Mugisha, the acting director at the Directorate of Water Development who represented Uganda at the conference, called for a speedy commitment from countries to sign a final agreement. “It is through a cooperative agreement that we can engage in more sustainable projects that will help us develop ourcountries,” he said.
Tanzanian Vice president, Ali Mohammed Shein urged countries to move fast and conclude the treaty. “Let us be open, frank and in an environment of trust as we have done in the past 10 years in order to reach an amicable agreement. Informed and expert opinion is that there are enough water resources in the basin to meet the needs of and requirements of all states. Let us move expeditiously to conclude the basis of a permanent cooperation,” he said. The 6,695 km (4,160 miles) the Nile is the longest river in the world.
Source: The Monitor
……………………………………
Return Back to: ABBAY MEDIA FRONT PAGE
