Vdeo Lesson

Lesson Objectives

At the end of this lesson, you will be able to:

• Explain the water resource potentials of Ethiopia, Egypt, and the Sudan, and
• Describe the present water use of the mentioned countries

Brainstorming Questions

How do you evaluate the water resource potentials of Ethiopia, Egypt and the Sudan?

How do you evaluate the relations and contentions of the three countries over the use of the Abay River?

Keywords

• Actual water use
• Conventions
• Potential water use

Dear Online Learner! Ethiopia, Sudan, and Egypt are African countries sharing several socioeconomic, cultural, and natural resources.

• Ethiopia and Egypt were exchanging popes for their Orthodox Churches during their past long history.
• Ethiopia and Sudan share a long land border in addition to their strong economic ties.
• The three countries again together share the Nile water and its resources.
• Sometimes appear to experience conflicts among the three. Particularly the main cause of conflict between the three countries emanates from the utilization and development of the Nile waters.

Dear Online Learner! The per capita water use in Ethiopia is about 1,666 cubic meters per person per year. In Sudan, per capita, water use is around 1,981 cubic meters per person per annum. Coming to Egypt, it is low (about 830 cubic meters per person per year). This is less than the 1700 cubic meters of water per person per annum proposed by the World Health Organization (WHO)

Year	Parties	Name Treaty	Treaty objectives/contents
Dec, 1925	UK& Italy	Formation of water commission’ & Exchange notes; (Re-concessions for barrage at Lake Tana)	The new water commission named; Italy recognized the prior hydraulic rights’ of Egypt & the Sudan
07 May 1929	UK & Egypt	‘Exchange of Notes’ (Re-Use of the Waters of the River Nile for irrigation).	Egypt claims ‘natural & historic rights’ over the Nile waters; the UK recognized Egypt’s “natural & historic rights in the waters of the Nile”.
1934	UK & Belgium	Re-Water Rights be- tween Tanganyika & Rwanda-Burundi	Regulation on utilization of boundary waters, notification of projects, water quality & navigation
1949 & 1952	UK & Egypt	‘’Exchange of Notes’’ on the (Re Construction of Owen Falls Dam)	Construction of the Owen Falls Dam & control of the Nile waters.
1952	Egypt & UK	Exchange of Notes’ focusing on Owen Falls Dam & Aswan High Dam Proposal	Aswan High Dam with 156 BCM/ year storage capacities proposed by Egypt. Own Falls Dam proposed

08 Nov. 1954	Egypt & Sudan	Egypt demands a share of additional water	The first round of negotiations between Egypt and Sudan which end inconclusively
08 Nov. 1959	Egypt & Sudan.	Treaty for full utilization of Nile Waters; Formation of a Joint Technical Commission	All Nile water was distributed to Egypt & the Sudan (Egypt granted 55.5 while Sudan 18.5 BCM per Egypt; Permanent Joint Technical Commission; created
1993	Ethiopian & Egypt	Framework for General cooperation	Confirmation of intention to cooperate on Nile waters & to refrain from engaging in any activities that cause appreciable harm to the interests of others
Feb. 1999	Ten riparian states	Establishment of the Nile River Basin Initiative (NBI) to serve as a transitional mechanism for cooperation	Promoting sustainable socio-economic development; equitable utilization and benefit of the basin resources; recognition of the rights of all riparian states; and preparation of an inclusive legal framework for equitable and sustainable allocation of Nile waters & resources.
2003	Kenya, Tanzania & Uganda	Protocol for sustainable development of Lake Victoria Basin.	Cooperation on sustainable development & management of Nile basin. Creation of the Lake Victoria Basin Commission
2010	Riparian countries	The signing of the Cooperative Frame- work Agreement (CFA)	Creation of permanent Nile River Basin Commission
23 March 2015	Ethiopia, Egypt & Sudan	Agreement on Declaration of Principles on the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam Project (GERDP)	To cooperate based on common under- standing, mutual benefit, good faith, win- win, and principles of international law