Nile River Basin CFA Takes Effect, but Two States Reject It

 Addis Insight published on 13 October 2024 an article titled "A Landmark Moment: Nile River Basin Commission Formed as CFA Takes Effect."

The Nile River Basin Cooperative Framework Agreement (CFA) took effect as of 13 October following ratification by six of the ten members.  Ethiopia, Rwanda, Tanzania, Uganda, Burundi, and South Sudan have now ratified the CFA.

Members that have not yet ratified the CFA are Egypt, Sudan, the DRC, and Kenya.  Eritrea is an observer of the Nile Basin Initiative.  

Nova News published on 13 October 2024 an article titled "Africa: Egypt and Sudan Reject New Nile River Deal that Just Came into Force."

Egypt and Sudan quickly rejected the CFA, arguing that the six-state commission is not representative of the Nile Basin as a whole.

For the text of the CFA visit here. 

Comment:  It is not clear where this leaves the CFA with Sudan and Egypt rejecting it and Kenya and the DRC not yet ratifying it.  

No Immediate Incentive to Negotiate Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam Differences

 The Center for Strategic and International Studies published on 11 July 2023 an analysis titled "Guardians of the Nile: No Interstate War, No Peace" by Natasha Hall.  

While further talks are needed to resolve outstanding issues concerning the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam on the Blue Nile, the timing for negotiations is not good, especially in light of the ongoing conflict in Sudan.  

Nile Water Security and the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam

 The Jurist published on 1 February 2023 an analysis titled "Egyptian Water Security and the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam: Why Ethiopia Has the Upper Hand" by Elliot Winter, New Castle University. 

This article considers water security in the context of the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam (GERD).  It provides a brief history of the GERD; outlines the role of the Watercourses Convention, which neither Ethiopia nor Egypt has signed; explains the significance of the Nile Waters Treaties; sets out the main legal arguments for Egypt; and provides the main legal arguments for Ethiopia.  It concludes that Ethiopia's legal position is far stronger and that a negotiated agreement in its favor is the most likely outcome of the dispute.  

Egypt's Nile Monopoly Is Over

Ethiopia Insight posted on 9 April 2020 a commentary titled "Egypt's Nile Monopoly Is Over" by Moges Zewdu Teshome, a graduate student at the Vienna School of International Studies.

The author argues that huge population growth and the need for renewable power in Ethiopia dictates that Egypt (and Sudan) can no longer monopolize Nile water, most of which originates in Ethiopia. The solution is sustainable use of Nile water in both Egypt and Ethiopia.