Nile Basin Cooperation Agreement Takes Effect Amidst Egyptian, Sudanese Opposition

Despite ongoing opposition from Egypt and Sudan, the Nile Basin Cooperative Framework Agreement officially came into force on Sunday, according to Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed.

This agreement establishes the Nile River Basin Commission (NRBC), an organization dedicated to promoting cooperation among Nile Basin countries regarding the river's management.

While upstream countries, including Ethiopia, Rwanda, South Sudan, Uganda, Tanzania, and the Democratic Republic of the Congo, have signed the CFA, Egypt and Sudan remain opposed to the agreement.

Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed urged the non-signatory states to join the effort, referring to the CFA as the "Nile family" and emphasizing its goal of fostering regional cooperation for the equitable use of the Nile's resources.

This agreement comes amidst ongoing tensions between Egypt, Sudan, and Ethiopia, primarily stemming from the construction of the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam (GERD) on the Blue Nile, a major tributary of the Nile.

Ethiopia views the dam as crucial for its economic development and insists it poses no threat to downstream water supplies. Conversely, Egypt and Sudan consider the GERD an existential threat to their water share from the Nile and demand a binding agreement on the dam's filling and operation.