ADDIS ABABA — The ratification of the Nile Basin Cooperative Framework Agreement (CFA) will guarantee cooperation on the equitable use of the Nile River by rectifying the age-old narrative of monopoly over the use of this shared natural resource, underscored Sadiq Adem, a member of the Foreign Relations and Peace Affairs Standing Committee at the House of Peoples’ Representatives.
According to Ethiopian News Agency, the agreement has been open for ratification by member states since 2010. Between 2013 and 2023, Ethiopia, Rwanda, Tanzania, Uganda, and Burundi have ratified the initiative. The CFA outlines rights and obligations for the development of the Nile Basin water resources, promoting the equitable and reasonable utilization of the River. At least six countries need to ratify the framework to establish the Nile Basin Commission and bring it into full force. The recent ratification by South Sudan as the sixth nation fulfills this requirement.
Adem, who wrote his postgraduate dissertation on the significance, implications, and advantages of the Nile riparian Commission based on the CFA, noted that 14 years have elapsed since any meaningful steps have been taken on its implementation. Efforts to retain the 1929 and 1959 colonial agreements on the use of the Nile waters have hindered progress. However, signatory countries have now resolved to work on a framework ensuring equitable distribution and mutual development of the Nile, pushing the Nile Basin Initiative (NBI) to a decisive stage.
The implementation of the CFA will annul colonial agreements and replace provisional agreements with a permanent one, Adem added. This ratification will end the narrative of monopolizing the Nile waters and replace it with a framework ensuring equitable and mutually beneficial use. Adem emphasized that the implementation of the CFA will attract international recognition, providing opportunities for technical, financial, and diplomatic support from international institutions and governments.
Ethiopia, one of the first countries to ratify the agreement, has contributed diplomatic and public relations efforts to advance the CFA. Adem stated that Ethiopia should continue integrated and comprehensive diplomatic efforts with riparian countries to start the implementation of the agreements promptly. He also highlighted the need for collective efforts among signatory countries to ensure effective implementation and consultation on faster execution.
Countries that have not yet ratified the agreement should recognize the mutual benefits of cooperating on the Nile’s water resources. Adem urged civil society organizations, scholars, and all stakeholders to contribute towards the effective implementation of the CFA. South Sudan will become part of the implementing countries within 60 days of ratifying the agreement on July 8, 2024.