Addis Abeba – Ethiopia’s Foreign Minister, Ambassador Taye Atske-Selassie, expressed optimism regarding the anticipated “positive outcomes” from the upcoming Nile Basin Summit, scheduled to be held in Uganda next month.
Ambassador Taye noted that the Nile Basin Summit, set for mid-October 2024, is expected to “pass a historic resolution” that will enable the implementation of the Nile Cooperation Framework Agreement (CFA) and establish mechanisms for the equitable use of the Nile’s waters.
Ambassador Taye made this statement during a discussion on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly with Rwanda’s Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation, Olivier Nduhungirehe.
During the meeting, both ministers exchanged views on their shared commitment to maintaining a unified stance on the fair and equitable utilization of the Nile’s water resources.
According to Ethiopia’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs, both ministers reaffirmed their commitment to jointly support the implementation of the CFA.
The Ministry emphasized that the framework’s implementation “will promote fair and rational water use among the Nile riparian countries and enhance cooperation between them.”
Ambassador Taye also highlighted South Sudan’s recent ratification of the CFA as a landmark decision, demonstrating the collective desire of the Nile Basin states to ensure equitable and reasonable usage of the river.
Ethiopia has been instrumental in the establishment of the Cooperative Framework Agreement (CFA), largely due to its opposition to the colonial-era treaties signed by Egypt and Sudan in 1929 and 1959. These agreements, which heavily favor Egypt and Sudan, have not been recognized by other Nile Basin countries, with Ethiopia being a particularly vocal opponent.
The CFA outlines the rights and responsibilities for the development of the Nile Basin’s water resources and advocates for the equitable and reasonable utilization of the river.
For the CFA to be fully enacted and lead to the formation of the Nile Basin Commission, a minimum of six out of the 11 member countries must ratify the agreement.
In July 2024, South Sudan’s parliament ratified the CFA, joining Ethiopia, Rwanda, Tanzania, Uganda, and Burundi in supporting the agreement.
In a recent communication to the UN Security Council, Ethiopia announced that it had deposited the sixth instrument of ratification for the CFA on 14 August 2024, officially bringing the CFA into force and establishing the Nile River Basin Commission.
Ethiopia hailed this as a “landmark development” for equitable Nile water use and urged Egypt to “ratify the CFA and make positive contributions.” AS
