ADDIS Ababa, Ethiopia June 23 – Lack of political goodwill and hegemonic tendencies over shared resources has been cited as the main impediment to cooperation by countries along the Nile River.
Considered, the second longest river in the world after the Amazon, the Nile River is a major north-flowing river in northeastern Africa flowing into the Mediterranean Sea.
But despite the immense opportunities the Nile River has to the ten African countries namely: Egypt, Burundi, Tanzania, Rwanda, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Kenya, Uganda, Sudan, Ethiopia, and South Sudan, some leaders have not realized the need to work together for common benefit.
This was the highlight of deliberations at the “2nd Afri-Run High-Level Forum on Equitable and Reasonable Utilisation of Transboundary Watercourses in Africa” held in Ethiopia’s capital, Addis Ababa.
Ethiopia’s Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Affairs Minister Demeke Mekonnen Hasen said this lack of cooperation by the countries is a major hindrance to sustainable development.
He said that “lack of political will and hegemonic tendencies over shared resources immensely contribute to little or no cooperation.”
These challenges, he said, “continue to stand against our shared aspirations of ensuring sustainable development.”
He cited the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam (GERD) which he described as “an exemplary initiative that champions for equitable and reasonable use.
“It is high time that we redouble efforts to deal with the challenges building on the great strides we have made in the past to ensure equitable and reasonable use of transboundary resources,” he told delegates at the conference who included ministers and other representatives from the Nile countries.
The Forum was conducted under the theme “African Resources for African Prosperity in the New Age”.
Ministers who spoke at the conference stressed the need to ensure the equitable and reasonable use of Nile River by using a platform that promotes the exchange of experiences and share best practices on scientific research.
While some countries back Ethiopia’s GERD dam, some like Egypt have raised concerns that it could lead to reduced water flow in the Nile River-the country’s main lifeline because 97 percent of its population live along the Nile.
Ethiopia’s neighbour, Sudan, which draws two-thirds of its water supplies from the Nile had earlier expressed concerns about the project but has since aligned and now supports it fully because it will help solve the massive flooding challenge it experiences during rainy seasons.
