This background paper is part of a series on the political economy dynamics of regional. The nile is an important source of water for many countries as well as hydropower. The objective is to enable better understanding of socioeconomic development of riparian countries. The new state of south sudan and the hydropolitics of the nile basin salman m. The nile river is the longest in the world while the nile basin covers 1. The new state of south sudan and the hydropolitics of the. The nile river basin nrb plays a central role in the conflict over water. Most nile countries have strategic plans to regulate and manage groundwater resources but, so far, these largely remain on paper, and have not been implemented. Opportunities and challenges of the growing nile population. Eritrea participates as an observer, partly due to limited interests and stakes in the nile nile basin initiative 2011, cited by salman, 201. General overview in terms of its length, drainage area and number of riparian countries, the nile river is one of the largest in the world see table 14.
In the case of nile basin states, this ranks burundi, rwanda, egypt, ethiopia, and. The effective and efficient management of water is a major problem, not just for economic growth and development in the nile river basin, but also for. Onlya few years ago the regime of the nile basin was one of unremitting and open conflict. At lake tana, the blue nile starts as a small river, but its flow increases as tributaries from the ethiopian mountains join in its westward path to the sudanese. Other articles where nile river basin is discussed. In 1990s for example the parties involved in the conflict participated in various dialogues with the help of the international community, targeting cooperation on the use of nile river. Abstract for most of the 20th century, the nile river has been the source of political tensions and lowintensity conflicts among three of its major.
The recent agreements reached this past week on hydroelectric power development, power sharing cooperatives, river regulation and water resources management will be finalized at an extraordinary ministerial meeting in december. The nile basin exhibits large variations in climate ranging from the tropical climate at the sources of the blue and white nile to the mediterranean climate at the mouth of the nile. Established in 1999, the nile basin initiative nbi is an intergovernmental partnership of 10 nile basin countries. Download pdf jack di nunzio research assistant key points the nile river has had a major impact on the interstate politics of the region through the years, as it is the only reliable source for renewable water supplies in the area. Yilma 5 availability of water for agriculture in the nile basin 61 robyn. Aaron tesfaye william paterson university, wayne, nj. A cryptic hydropolitical history of the nile basin for students of hydropolitics. Egyptian protests, ethiopian dams, and the hydropolitics. It is the worlds longest river flowing 6,700 kilometers through ten countries in northeastern africa rwanda, burundi, democratic republic of the congo drc, tanzania, kenya, uganda, ethiopia, south sudan, sudan and egypt with varying climates considering the basin area of the nile, sudan has the largest size 1. The population of the nile basin countries was estimated around 372 million in 2005 with 54% of the total population lives within the nile basin. With a combined population of nearly 430 million spread over eleven countries burundi, the democratic. Daniel kendie, egypt and the hydropolitics of the blue nile river. Water sharing in the nile river valley unepdewagridgeneva dr i abstract the issue of freshwater is one of highest priority for the united nations environment programme unep.
The nile river basin the 6850km long nile is the worlds longest river, and flows from south to north with a catchment basin covering ap. An attempt is made to examine the ongoing political and economic changes in the upstream countries as well as in sudan and on how these dynamics might affect and challenge both the regional balance of power and the ongoing issue of hydro politics. Nile river basin the international water management. Nov 25, 20 download pdf jack di nunzio research assistant key points the nile river has had a major impact on the interstate politics of the region through the years, as it is the only reliable source for renewable water supplies in the area.
Itt nile group 20 riparian countries gdp growth rate in 2012. The river spreads across 10 countries with an area of 3. Via water international, a detailed look at issues related to the sharing and management of the waters of the nile river, the conservation and use of the waters of the huge swamps of southern sudan, and the relationship with the other nile riparians faced by the new state of south sudan faces in connection. Egyptian protests, ethiopian dams, and the hydropolitics of. The history of water relations in the nile river basin indicates the existence of cooperation as well as conflict since the 1950s. Water politics in the nile basin european union institute for. In may 2010, upper riparian states reinforced this statement by opening the nile basin cooperative framework agreement for signature. Established in 1999, the nile basin initiative nbi is an intergovernmental partnership of 10. The nile the worlds longest river runs through 10 countries, four of which are water scarce. In the 1929 nile treaty between britain and its egyptian.
Demand on the rise after decades of imbalanced colonialera treaties and piecemeal bilateral agreements, the. The nile river is subject to political interactions. Though the conflict itself is well understood from a his torical and contemporary hydropolitics perspective, political modeling. Mason environment and cooperation in the nile basin econile, downstream perspective this study of the eastern nile basin is an essential reading for anyone interested in a comprehensive analysis of conflicts about nile water use. The 6850km long nile is the worlds longest river, and flows from south to north with a catchment basin covering ap proximately 10% of the african continent exhibit 1. Cairo, egypt the largest of the nile cities, with nearly 11 million residents. In addition to this, the nile basin countries continue to seek cooperative solutions that could bring a more equitable partition of the river. The entebbe agreement has shifted control over the nile away. It is the worlds longest river flowing 6,700 kilometers through ten countries in northeastern africa rwanda, burundi, democratic republic of the congo, tanzania, kenya, uganda, ethiopia, south sudan, sudan and egypt with varying climates. This ensures, at a minimum, that the financial issues with regard to basinwide development are of a far greater magnitude in the nile basin. This chapter describes the main socioeconomic indicators for nile basin countries. In spite of tensions often being raised by political rhetoric within the basin.
Superstocksuperstocksipa water politics in the nile. Nevertheless, there have been attempts at cooperation, and they culminated in the establishment of the nile basin initiative and negotiation of the nile basin cooperative framework agreement cfa. Burundi, dr congo, egypt, ethiopia, kenya, rwanda, south sudan, the sudan, tanzania and uganda. National politics in the nile basin have continually ignored the fact that the peoples of. Nbi role in facing energy security challenges in the nile. These are burundi, egypt, eritrea, ethiopia, kenya, rwanda, tanzania, uganda, the democratic republic of the congo.
The economics of international water law daniel abebe abstract as part of a symposium on the book the economic foundations of international law, this article briefly compares and contrasts two distinct analytical approaches to international lawdoctrinal versus economicin the context of egypts and. Water politics south sudan and the hydropolitics of the. Nbi role in facing energy security challenges in the nile basin. The nile basin comprises 11 countries in eastern and central africa that either use or are the source of much of the water in the nile. From conflict to cooperation in the nile basin simon a. Ethiopia is now diverting the river in preparation for construction, angering many egyptians, whose country is heavily dependent on the nile flow. The nile is an international river shared by eleven riparian countries. Indeed, water management in the nile basin is not just about water. Hydropolitics and regional stability in the nile basin. Similarly, the nile riparian acknowledges the need for basin scale management of the nile water resources e. In other words, it is about politics in its rawest definition of who gets what, when, and how. See walter menya, kenya signs nile basin pact, daily nation, may 19, 2010 6. The nile basin the term basin refers to the geographical area drained by a river or lake.
Aug 10, 2000 created in 1993, the nile basin initiative has only recently begun to make real progress. The first theory is that the lower nile had its source at about latitude 20 n, whence it flowed directly into the sea, while the upper nile, issuing from lake victoria, flowed into an inland lake. Jun 04, 20 water struggles in the nile basin have recently intensified as egyptian nationalists denounce ethiopias building of the grand renaissance dam on the blue nile, the rivers largest tributary. The nile basin, in the context of this report, refers not only to the physical drainage area of the nile with its associated biophysical and ecological elements, but also to the people living within the basin and features of their social, cultural. South sudan and the hydropolitics of the nile basin may 7th, 2011. This ensures, at a minimum, that the financial issues with regard to basin wide development are of a far greater magnitude in the nile basin.
The hydropolitics of the nile river basin springerlink. This agreement claims to announce the rights of upper riparian states to use the waters of the nile. Impacts on egypt water resources management and road map research pdf available august 2015 with 11,304 reads how we measure reads. Just as the sensual aspects ofthe nile are constantly changing, so too are the actors and social structures that shape its fate, and that of the millions of people who rely upon its lifegivingwaters. The nile basin, is an african hydrographic basin, which has its main flow of flow the nile river, being the second largest basin in the continent, besides being effectively the most notable basin in africa. Water struggles in the nile basin have recently intensified as egyptian nationalists denounce ethiopias building of the grand renaissance dam on the blue nile, the rivers largest tributary. There are ten riparian countries a egypt, sudan, ethiopia, uganda, tanzania, kenya, democratic republic of the congo, rwanda, burundi, and eritrea. It is the worlds longest river flowing 6,700 kilometers through ten countries in northeastern africa rwanda, burundi, democratic republic of the congo drc, tanzania, kenya, uganda, ethiopia, south sudan, sudan and egypt with varying climates. Nbi climate change strategy 1 nbi climate change strategy 1. Recently, there has been negative escalation of disputes regarding the hydropolitical interactions within the regional system of the nile basin region. Superstocksuperstocksipa water politics in the nile basin. Aaron tesfaye william paterson university, wayne, nj summary. Ten countries fall within the drainage basin of the nile.
Egypt depends on the nile river for 95% of its water needs for drinking, agriculture and electricity generation. Salman member, iwra as a result of the choice of the people of southern sudan for secession during the january 2011 referendum, a number of dif. A pattern of small land holdings makes burundi one of the more densely populated rural areas of the nile basin. Abstract for most of the 20th century, the nile river has been the source of political tensions and lowintensity conflicts among three of its major riparian countries ethiopia, sudan and egypt.
The population of egypt 65 million in 2001 is expected to double by 2050 and it already uses the largest share of the. Egypts thawing relations with the nile basin initiative. A game theory approach to understanding the nile river basin. The nile basin covers an area of around 3 million km2, or nearly 10% of the landmass of the african continent, and is home to 160 million people. Growing pressures on the river, however, may be about to change that situation. The nile basin initiative is currently preparing a delegation to visit cairo to discuss egypts possible return to the regional grouping after seven years of inactivity, the initiatives head. Demand on the rise after decades of imbalanced colonialera treaties and piecemeal bilateral agreements, the nile basin initiative nbi was created in 1999 to establish a.
The ganges, jordan, and nile rivers 91 conclusion 102 chapter 4 the political economy of the nile river basin 109 water rights as economic, social, and human rights issues 110 poverty and water needs in the nile basin 116 sustainable development and food security 4 conclusion 142 chapter 5. From conflict to cooperation in the nile basin the web site cannot. They include uganda, rwanda, sudan, tanzania, burundi, south sudan, ethiopia, kenya, egypt and the dr congo. South sudan and the hydro politics of the nile basin may 7th, 2011. Created in 1993, the nile basin initiative has only recently begun to make real progress. Population growth, poverty, ecosystem degradation and water scarcity are serious threats to political stability in the nile basin nations. In the past, tensions were muted by several factors. The nile basin initiative nbi is an intergovernmental partnership of ten nile riparian countries that is seeking to manage and develop the common nile water resources in a cooperative manner and promote regional peace and security. Water experts believe there is not enough water in the river to meet the various irrigation goals of the nile basin nations. The nile basin by its size, political divisions and history constitutes a major freshwaterrelated environmental resource and focus of attention. The politics of the nile basin elias ashebir supervisor. However, since the late 1990s, the nile basin countrieswith the encouragement and support of the international communityhave made some attempts to establish basin wide cooperative institutions. Considering the basin area of the nile, sudan has the largest size whereas, of the four major tributaries to the nile, three originate from ethiopia the blue nile, sobat and atbara. Introduction groundwater has always been essential for human survival throughout africa, and this is the case in the nile river basin nrb.
The african continent, while contributing least to greenhouse gas ghg emissions, is most vulnerable and will be hit hardest by the. Yet it is important to recognize, the path to cooperation often is more challenging than the cooperation itself. The effective and efficient management of water is a major problem, not just for economic growth and development in the nile river basin, but also for the peaceful coexistence of the millions of pe. The population of the nile basin is more than 20 times that of the okavango, and figures for the total populations of the riparian states widen this difference even further. The nile basin initiative nbi has been in existence.
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