Africa-Press – Ethiopia. The Nile Basin Commission will play a crucial role in transforming longstanding skepticism among Nile Basin countries into cooperation and joint development, experts noted.
Preparations are underway to establish the Commission’s office in Entebbe, Uganda, it was learned.
The Nile Basin Cooperation Framework Agreement (CFA), which consists of 45 articles, is founded on core principles such as equitable and reasonable water use, avoidance of significant harm to other states, and voluntary cooperation.
The CFA officially entered into force on October 13, 2024, after Ethiopia, Tanzania, Uganda, Burundi, Rwanda, and South Sudan signed the agreement.
The agreement promotes shared responsibility, mutual respect, and peaceful dispute resolution, emphasizing the importance of transboundary collaboration to address growing challenges like climate change, population growth, and environmental degradation.
Experts in the field told ENA that the Nile Basin Commission was established following the agreement’s enforcement to oversee the implementation of its principles, rights, and obligations.
Water Resources Management, Transboundary Rivers, and Hydro Diplomacy Consultant, Fek Ahmed Negash, noted that although the agreement came into effect after more than two decades of negotiation, institutional-level tasks remain to be fully realized with the Commission’s establishment.
On his part, Kebede Gerba, an international water law expert, stated that preparations for opening the Entebbe office and staffing are progressing.
Accordingly, the Commission will primarily coordinate the implementation of the CFA, serving as an institutional platform for collaborative use, development, and management of the Nile River among member states.
The expert also noted that the 2015 Declaration of Principles (DoP) signed by the leaders of Ethiopia, Egypt, and Sudan in Khartoum as a positive step toward enhancing regional cooperation.
The Nile Basin CFA uniquely rejects colonial-era treaties and ushers in a new chapter of partnership among riparian countries, Kebede emphasized, adding that the legal recognition of the agreement is seen not as a source of conflict or suspicion, but as a foundation for shared development and cooperation.
According to him, the Commission is expected to mediate disputes among member countries and ensure respect for their respective rights and obligations.
The Experts urged Ethiopia to continue playing a leading role in realizing the full potential of the Nile Basin Cooperation Framework Agreement.
Furthermore, the experts called for intensified efforts to bring on board the remaining countries that have yet to sign the agreement, strengthening the Commission’s capacity to promote fair and equitable water use across the Nile Basin.
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