Egypt and Sudan urged all Nile Basin states to restore the integrity of the 1999 Nile Basin Initiative and refrain from unilateral actions that could exacerbate divisions between upstream and downstream countries.
This came in a statement issued by the Egyptian-Sudanese Permanent Joint Technical Commission for Nile Waters (PJTC) following a crucial two-day meeting on October 11-12 in Cairo, which discussed key water-related issues and concerns within the Nile Basin including recent developments related to the recent ratification of the Cooperative Framework Agreement (CFA) by some Nile Basin states.
The Nile Basin Initiative (NBI) was formally launched in February 1999 by the water ministers of nine countries that share the river: Egypt, Sudan, Ethiopia, Uganda, Kenya, Tanzania, Burundi, Rwanda, the Democratic Republic of Congo, and Eritrea as observer.
The NBI aimed “to achieve sustainable socio-economic development through the equitable utilization of the common Nile Basin water resources.”
During the m
eeting, PJTC emphasized that Egypt and Sudan have made concerted efforts over the years to restore cohesion and bridge divisions caused by the adoption of the non-consensual CFA draft by several upstream states.
According to the PJTC, the 2010 CFA draft lacks the necessary consensus and fails to adhere to established international law principles and best practices, which promote sustainable development and cooperation.
The PJTC pointed to African transboundary water models, such as the Zambezi and Senegal River basins, as examples of effective collaboration.
‘Egypt and Sudan have consistently advocated for a collaborative, all-inclusive mechanism among Nile Basin states, stressing the importance of prior notification, consultations, and scientific assessments of the impacts of water projects, however, their calls for constructive engagement have not been met with positive responses,’ the statement read.
Both countries reiterated their commitment to cooperating with all Nile Basin nations, in line with int
ernationally recognized principles that safeguard the interests of all parties while preventing harm to any riparian state, the statement added.
Egypt and Sudan reaffirmed that the 2010 CFA, initially signed by four upstream states, is not binding on them, stressing it contravenes customary and conventional international law.
Moreover, Egypt and Sudan emphasized in the statement that the six-state commission established under the incomplete CFA draft cannot represent the entire Nile Basin.
They expressed their belief that restoring inclusivity within the initiative is the best path toward achieving a comprehensive and permanent framework for Nile Basin cooperation.
Egypt and Sudan have long argued that the CFA violated the 1929 and 1959 Nile River agreements.
Moreover, Egypt has rejected the CFA citing the International Court of Justice (ICJ) ruling of 1989 which stipulated that water agreements enjoy the same immutability as border agreements: they cannot be revoked or amended without the assent of all
parties concerned.
Source: State Information Service Egypt