Ethiopia Plans to 'Control' Nile Flows
Addis Ababa – Agencies: Ethiopia’s Minister of Water and Energy, Habtamu Itafa, revealed his country’s intention to control the flow of Nile waters heading to Egypt and Sudan, in statements that sparked fresh controversy in Cairo and Khartoum. According to media reports citing the Ethiopian minister, his country is working to exploit its water resources by building additional facilities and dams, thereby enhancing its capacity to regulate water flows before they reach Sudan and Egypt.
Habtamu spoke about the “Cooperative Framework Agreement for the Nile Basin,” stating that it had entered into force a few days ago. He explained that the agreement “will recognize the legal rights of all Nile Basin countries and subject them to the equitable distribution and sustainable use of water,” according to Ethiopia’s official Ethiopian News Agency (ENA).
In a statement, he added that the Cooperative Framework Agreement for the Nile Basin officially entered into force last Tuesday, describing it as a “historic and successful achievement.” The Ethiopian Water Minister clarified that implementing the Nile cooperation agreement “will enable the establishment of the Nile Basin Commission, which will be responsible for managing and protecting the Nile River for the benefit of all and will serve as the cornerstone of cooperation,” as reported by ENA.
Habtamo further stated that the agreement is a “common legal framework for riparian states and a testament to their shared commitment to using the Nile River for the benefit of all, affirming the right to equal and just use of water resources.”
The Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam (GERD), built by Ethiopia on the Blue Nile, has been the focal point of a long-standing dispute among the three countries—Egypt, Sudan, and Ethiopia—after successive rounds of negotiations failed to reach a comprehensive agreement on the rules for filling and operating the dam.
The Ethiopian Water Minister pointed out that “the agreement will correct existing disparities in the use of Nile waters by ensuring shared resources for all Nile Basin countries,” noting that “the agreement will recognize the legal rights of all Nile Basin countries and subject them to the equitable distribution and sustainable use of water, without infringing on the rights of others,” as he put it. He added that the agreement obligates all parties to protect the Nile and its environment, and to use water in a manner that does not harm future users.
Earlier, Egypt’s Minister of Water Resources and Irrigation, Hani Sweilam, announced Cairo’s rejection of any new dams on the Nile’s course, emphasizing that Egypt would not permit unilateral measures that affect its water security or water rights. Egypt relies primarily on the Nile River to meet its freshwater needs, making the preservation of its flows and the protection of its water share a matter of national security.
