Latest news with #DeclarationofPrinciplesAgreement
Al-Ahram Weekly
22-02-2025
- Politics
- Al-Ahram Weekly
Egypt rejects proposed visit to GERD during Nile Basin event in Addis Ababa - Foreign Affairs
Egypt's Minister of Water Resources and Irrigation, Hani Sewilam, vehemently opposed the inclusion of a visit to the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam (GERD) on Friday as part of the annual Nile Basin celebrations in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. Speaking at a Nile Basin Initiative (NBI) ministerial meeting held before the annual celebration, Sewilam stated that the GERD — a source of dispute between Cairo and Khartoum on one side and Addis Ababa on the other — was constructed, filled, and operated unilaterally. Minister Sewilam stressed that the Ethiopian dam constitutes a breach of international law and the 2015 Declaration of Principles Agreement, according to a statement by the irrigation ministry. He warned that Ethiopia's attempt – as a host of the country – to include a GERD visit during the regional gathering risks 'dragging the entire Nile Basin into the dispute, potentially affecting the unity of member states and threatening regional cooperation.' Egypt, he added, has consistently handled the GERD issue with restraint, insisting on keeping the dispute as a trilateral issue between Egypt, Sudan, and Ethiopia 'without allowing it to be expanded to include the entire Nile Basin.' According to the statement, Sewilam also requested Addis Ababa cancel the visit. 'The host country has two clear choices: either uphold the spirit of unity and shield the basin from unnecessary tensions, or proceed with the visit—at the risk of undermining the very purpose of this gathering,' Sewilam said. He reiterated Egypt's commitment to the NBI's foundational principles, emphasizing the importance of consensus and dialogue for regional stability. Between 2020 and 2024, Ethiopia unilaterally completed the five-phase filling of the dam, bringing two turbines into operation, despite the absence of an agreement with downstream nations, Egypt and Sudan, on filling and operational procedures. Egypt, which relies mainly on the Nile for its water needs, fears that the GERD will harm its already scarce water supply, while Sudan is concerned about the impacts on the safety of its dams. A decade of negotiations between the downstream nations and Ethiopia has failed to produce an agreement that ensures their water security and dam safety while addressing Ethiopia's interests. In December 2023, Cairo announced the end of the GERD negotiation track due to Ethiopia's persistent rejection of any proposed technical or legal solutions. He stressed that the Nile River is not merely a watercourse but the lifeline of the basin countries — an essential artery that sustains their economies, ensures food security, and safeguards the well-being of their populations. 'The sustainable management of this shared resource is not just a necessity but a fundamental responsibility to ensure the long-term stability, prosperity, and security of the entire region,' he asserted. Return to NBI Meanwhile, Minister Sewilam spotlighted the country's longstanding support for regional cooperation, citing its role in founding the NBI in 1999. The Nile Basin event is an annual commemoration of the Nile Basin Initiative (NBI), established on 22 February 1999. The NBI has ten permanent members — Burundi, the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), Egypt, Ethiopia, Kenya, Rwanda, Sudan, South Sudan, Tanzania, and Uganda. Eritrea has observer status. Sewilam stated Egypt provided significant financial, technical, and political contributions in the initiative's first decade to foster dialogue among Nile Basin countries. Sewilam stated that Egypt suspended its participation in the NBI's technical activities in 2010 after a change to the decision-making process. He explained that the "core principle of consensus" was disregarded, and a draft Cooperative Framework Agreement (CFA), lacking unanimous support, was opened for signature. He said this "deepened divisions" and "heightened tensions" among Nile Basin states. The minister welcomed the NBI's recent decision to launch a consultative process involving seven Nile Basin countries – Uganda, South Sudan, Rwanda, Egypt, Sudan, Kenya, and the Democratic Republic of the Congo – to seek a consensus-based path forward. He called this a "positive and constructive move" and reaffirmed Egypt's commitment to supporting the process. He hopes it will lead to an agreement so Egypt can resume technical participation in the NBI once a "unified vision" is achieved. Short link:
Daily News Egypt
22-02-2025
- Business
- Daily News Egypt
Egyptian Minister praises Nile Basin consultations, voices GERD concerns
Egypt's Minister of Water Resources and Irrigation, Hani Sewilam, has commended the recent ministerial decision to launch a consultative process involving seven Nile Basin countries to explore a path forward based on consensus. The countries involved are Uganda, South Sudan, Rwanda, Egypt, Sudan, Kenya, and the Democratic Republic of the Congo. Sewilam's remarks came during the extraordinary ministerial meeting of the Nile Basin Initiative (NBI) held on 21 February 2025, in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. The meeting preceded the annual Nile Day celebrations on February 22nd, which commemorate the founding of the Nile Basin Initiative. The meeting was attended by the Ministers of Water from South Sudan, Ethiopia, and Kenya, along with the Ambassadors of Rwanda, Burundi, and Tanzania, and representatives from Sudan, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, and Uganda. Sewilam conveyed the greetings of Egypt's 107 million citizens, emphasising that their lives, culture, and future are deeply connected to the Nile River, to their 'brothers and sisters' in the Nile Basin, with whom they share a common heritage. Sewilam stressed that the Nile River is the lifeline of the basin countries, an artery that sustains their economies, ensures food security, and safeguards the well-being of their populations. He said the sustainable management of this shared resource is a fundamental responsibility to ensure the long-term stability, prosperity, and security of the entire region. He stated that Egypt has always been a strong advocate of regional cooperation, noting its role in establishing the Nile Basin Initiative (NBI) in 1999. He added that in the first decade of the initiative, Egypt provided financial, technical, and political contributions, strengthening NBI as a platform for dialogue and collaboration among the basin countries. Sewilam said that Egypt had to freeze its participation in the initiative's technical activities in 2010 due to a shift in the decision-making mechanism, when the core principle of consensus was disregarded. He added that the draft Cooperative Framework Agreement (CFA), which lacked unanimous agreement among all Nile Basin states, was opened for signature. He said that this development deepened divisions within the region and heightened tensions among Nile Basin countries. Sewilam reaffirmed Egypt's full commitment to supporting the consultative process, and expressed his hope that it would yield an agreement among the concerned countries and enable Egypt to resume technical participation in NBI once a unified vision is reached. Sewilam also reiterated Egypt's objection to including a visit to the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam (GERD) as part of the Nile Day celebrations. He said the dam was constructed, filled, and is being operated unilaterally, which he said violates international law and breaches the 2015 Declaration of Principles Agreement. He said that Egypt has consistently handled the GERD issue with restraint, insisting on keeping the dispute as a trilateral issue between Egypt, Sudan, and Ethiopia, without expanding it to include the entire Nile Basin. Sewilam said that Ethiopia's move to use its role as host of this regional gathering to impose such a visit risks dragging the entire Nile Basin into the GERD dispute, which he warned could harm the unity of the basin states and threaten regional cooperation. He said that the host country has two choices: either uphold the spirit of unity and shield the basin from tensions, or proceed with the visit—at the risk of undermining the gathering's purpose. Sewilam reiterated Egypt's commitment to the foundational principles of the Nile Basin Initiative, stressing that upholding the principle of consensus is essential to ensuring the initiative's sustainability and maximizing mutual benefits for all member states. He affirmed that regional stability must be built on dialogue, cooperation, and mutual respect.
