Ethiopia will next week from September 5-7, 2022 host a regional conference on equitable and reasonable utilization of River Nile.
The three-day conference organised by the Institute of Foreign Affairs, Ethiopia, will serve as a platform for policy dialogue and experience sharing on the optimal utilization of the river Nile.
Convened in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia at Sheraton Addis Hotel, the forum will see over 150 individuals including officials working on trans-boundary water resource affairs, notable personalities, researchers, academicians, journalists and youth representatives from the Nile riparian countries participate.
The meeting seeks to ensure equitable and reasonable utilization of the trans-boundary water resources on the Nile River by establishing a platform that promotes exchange of experiences and scientific researches.
It is intended to among others establish permanent forum in which upper riparian countries will deliberate on fair and equitable utilization of the river Nile and other trans-boundary water resources and to promote scientific research on sustainable, fair and equitable utilization of transboundary water resources and suggest policy options.
It as well seeks to attract experts of water engineers in the region to discuss on common resources and promote effective utilization and strengthen working relationships among think tanks and higher academic institutions in the riparian countries.
Expected Outcomes
The conference will contribute in identifying key issues regarding the equitable utilization of the Nile river. It will also explore ways of further collaborations to ensure the continuity of the platform.
Key points raised in the discussions will be presented as take-away of the meeting.
According to the organizers, the date and venue to hold the next forum will be determined.
During the meeting, representatives of the participating countries will present their perspectives on the equitable, reasonable, and sustainable utilization of the river Nile.
In addition, selected high-quality research findings related to utilization of the river Nile will be presented by academicians and scientists in the field.
Background
There are over 260 trans-boundary water resources in the world. Due to the absence of a globally accepted framework that asserts equitable and reasonable utilization of such shared resources, there are cases of cooperation as much as there are tensions over utilization of these shared resources.
In some parts of the world, efficient, equitable and sustainable utilization of trans-boundary natural resource serves as a cause for strong regional integration based on mutual benefit. While in other parts, it is a cause of tension.
The Nile River, the longest watercourse in the world with 11 riparian countries, has experienced both cooperation and competition over the past years.
There have been notable efforts to ensure equitable and reasonable utilization in the Nile River basin. In 1999, the Ministers of Water Affairs of nine Nile Basin countries formed the Nile Basin Initiative (NBI) with the aim of creating intergovernmental partnership.
In 2010, to ensure equitable and reasonable utilization and give legal framework for the institution, some riparian countries have signed the Comprehensive Framework Agreement (CFA).
The Nile has a tremendous potential to become a river of regional economic cooperation and integration if utilized equitably and reasonably.
Nevertheless, despite equitable and reasonable utilization being a core principle in the distribution of water resources, its practical application in the Nile Basin has been a significant challenge.
A concrete consensus on equitable and faire utilization of the river Nile is yet to be realised.
Ensuring equitable and reasonable utilization is not an option for the Nile riparian’s; rather, it is a necessity. The Nile basin countries are experiencing massive population growth in recent years.
Owing to the growing population, the per capita water availability in the basin is decreasing rapidly.
In addition, the increasing threat of global climate change has brought further insecurity to the countries in the Nile basin in their future water demand and supply.
Against this backdrop, it is imperative for think-tanks, researchers, academicians, representatives of civil society organizations, youth representatives and ot support efforts riparian states are exerting at official level.