Cairo, Egypt — In a significant development regarding Nile River management, Egyptian Irrigation Minister Hani Sewilam called on Nile Basin countries to reassess the Cooperative Framework Agreement (CFA), commonly referred to as the Entebbe Agreement.
This appeal comes as Egypt and Sudan continue to reject the agreement, which has garnered support from upstream nations including Ethiopia, Rwanda, South Sudan, Uganda, Tanzania, and the Democratic Republic of Congo.
Speaking at a water event in Cairo, Minister Sewilam emphasized the need for a collaborative dialogue among all Nile Basin countries to ensure that the interests of each nation are considered.
“We call on the Nile Basin countries that signed the Entebbe Agreement to review their position and return once again to discuss cooperation between countries in a way that does not harm any of the riparian countries,” he stated.
The CFA, designed to establish principles, rights, and obligations for the management and development of the Nile Basin, represents the first multilateral initiative among the Nile Basin states aimed at creating a comprehensive legal and institutional framework.
However, Egypt and Sudan have expressed strong opposition to the CFA, asserting that it undermines their historical rights to the Nile’s water supply.
Minister Sewilam reiterated Egypt’s unwavering stance, declaring, “Egypt will not concede even a single cubic metre of Nile water and firmly rejects the Entebbe Agreement in its current form.”
He pointed out that Egypt’s current water supply is insufficient to meet the country’s needs, emphasizing the critical nature of the issue. “Discussions must include all countries and don’t exclude the interests of one country over another,” he added.
Egyptian President Abdel Fattah Al-Sisi echoed these sentiments, asserting that the preservation of Egypt’s water resources is an “existential issue.”
During his address, he noted that the Nile River is the primary source of water for Egypt, accounting for over 98% of the nation’s water supply.
“Without the Nile, our very existence is threatened,” he stated, highlighting the deep-seated anxieties surrounding the country’s water security.
Tensions over the Nile River have escalated, particularly in light of Ethiopia’s construction of the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam (GERD) on the Blue Nile, a major tributary of the Nile River.
Ethiopia regards the dam as vital for its economic development and has consistently maintained that it poses no threat to downstream water supplies.
In contrast, Egypt views the GERD as an existential threat to its share of Nile water, insisting on the necessity of a binding agreement that governs the dam’s filling and operation.
The disagreement over the GERD and the broader implications of the CFA have fueled ongoing diplomatic tensions in the region.
As negotiations between Egypt, Sudan, and Ethiopia remain stalled, Minister Sewilam’s call for a reconsideration of the Entebbe Agreement underscores the urgency for a collaborative approach to address the critical water needs of all Nile Basin countries.
As the situation develops, it remains to be seen whether Egypt’s call for dialogue will yield any movement toward a resolution that satisfies the concerns of all parties involved. The future of the Nile River—and the millions who depend on it—hangs in the balance.