The Nile River - Egypt's Lifeline

In a previous post, I have noted that Egypt and the Nile River Basin countries have failed to reach an agreement during their last meeting in Sharm el-Sheik (April 14, 2010). The past 10 years of meetings and official discussions of the 1929 water treaty did not lead to an agreement between the seven Nile River basin countries, Egypt and Sudan. The Nile River Treaty, which was signed by these countries while under British colonial rule, allocates 55 billion cu. met. of water per year to Egypt and a lesser amount to Sudan. Both countries are at the end of the Nile River flow. Furthermore, the treaties of 1929 and 1959 noted that no project should be undertaken by any member of the Nile River basin countries that might threaten Egypt’s water shares.

Nevertheless, on May 14, 2010, four countries: Ethiopia, Uganda, Tanzania and Rwanda, signed an agreement rejecting the Nile River water treaty of 1929.

Egypt and Sudan have both rejected the new agreement, which doesn’t reflect how the Nile River water should be shared.

It has been reported that a high Kenyan government official said that the new agreement would only lead to further discussion that will produce a new agreement for the benefit of all.

In the next post I will try to discuss the factors behind the Nile River Basin countries’ rejection of the 1929 treaty.