Ethiopians seek review to old treaty on Nile water
By Tesfa-alem Tekle
(ADDIS ABABA) — Ethiopia, being the source of 85
percent of the total Nile waters flow, claims that it could
self-support its hungry people off foreign food aid if granted to
irrigate from the Blue Nile river.
However, a 1929 treaty between Egypt and Britain, the then regional
power, awarded most of the Nile’s water to Egypt. Veto power over
upstream projects as well.
Despite the fact that Ethiopia generates the lions share to the river,
the horn of Africa’s nation uses only less than 1 percent of it
because Egypt resists any attempt from Ethiopia to launch any large
scale irrigation project and warns that any attempt to adjust the
river’s status would be regarded as an act of war.
With devastating drought year-to- year endangering the lives of
millions of people in Ethiopia and in the East of African region in
general, Ethiopians now strongly argue that it is time that the
’ancient’ treaty must be reviewed.
Binyam Tekle is an Architect and an Environmentalist at a University
and a research institute in Ethiopia. He argues that Egypt is a hidden
factor to food crises in the east African region.
"Why do we always blame rain short or aid short to food crises in
Ethiopia, while next door we have a major contributor to food shortage
in Ethiopia-Egypt?" Binyam told Sudan Tribune.
"Unless the old, unfair treaty is soon reviewed by the international
community and Egypt accepts to loosen its current rigid stand, once
off hand the strain could lead to wrong but dangerous direction," he
added.
In recent years failing rains have constantly made crops in Ethiopia
impossible to grow as much as the country needs to outreach the
increased food need of its 80 million people, Africa’s second most
populous country.
"People in some East African countries entirely depend on Nile water
for their annual supply to agriculture when rainfalls luck, so
increasing water demand could lead to political tensions in the entire
region, unless new compromise is reached for fair distribution" said
researcher Endashaw Belay.
"To realize a peace full united Africa, countries must be able to
jointly work together to solve own problems and in this case Nile
states must have political will to reach comprehensive consensuses
despite what past treaties."
Many analysts say that Egypt is blocking any funds to Ethiopia’s Nile
project. Though Ethiopians might be tempted to circumvent the
anachronistic arrangement, they can’t. Egyptian officials work behind
“closed doors” to block funding for upstream projects, according to
David Shinn, former US ambassador to Ethiopia.
Nile states have sought to re-negotiate the old treaty but Egyptian
officials have stalled it for years.
John Ashworth
Regional Representative
IKV Pax Christi Horn of Africa Programme
(ADDIS ABABA) — Ethiopia, being the source of 85
percent of the total Nile waters flow, claims that it could
self-support its hungry people off foreign food aid if granted to
irrigate from the Blue Nile river.
However, a 1929 treaty between Egypt and Britain, the then regional
power, awarded most of the Nile’s water to Egypt. Veto power over
upstream projects as well.
Despite the fact that Ethiopia generates the lions share to the river,
the horn of Africa’s nation uses only less than 1 percent of it
because Egypt resists any attempt from Ethiopia to launch any large
scale irrigation project and warns that any attempt to adjust the
river’s status would be regarded as an act of war.
With devastating drought year-to- year endangering the lives of
millions of people in Ethiopia and in the East of African region in
general, Ethiopians now strongly argue that it is time that the
’ancient’ treaty must be reviewed.
Binyam Tekle is an Architect and an Environmentalist at a University
and a research institute in Ethiopia. He argues that Egypt is a hidden
factor to food crises in the east African region.
"Why do we always blame rain short or aid short to food crises in
Ethiopia, while next door we have a major contributor to food shortage
in Ethiopia-Egypt?" Binyam told Sudan Tribune.
"Unless the old, unfair treaty is soon reviewed by the international
community and Egypt accepts to loosen its current rigid stand, once
off hand the strain could lead to wrong but dangerous direction," he
added.
In recent years failing rains have constantly made crops in Ethiopia
impossible to grow as much as the country needs to outreach the
increased food need of its 80 million people, Africa’s second most
populous country.
"People in some East African countries entirely depend on Nile water
for their annual supply to agriculture when rainfalls luck, so
increasing water demand could lead to political tensions in the entire
region, unless new compromise is reached for fair distribution" said
researcher Endashaw Belay.
"To realize a peace full united Africa, countries must be able to
jointly work together to solve own problems and in this case Nile
states must have political will to reach comprehensive consensuses
despite what past treaties."
Many analysts say that Egypt is blocking any funds to Ethiopia’s Nile
project. Though Ethiopians might be tempted to circumvent the
anachronistic arrangement, they can’t. Egyptian officials work behind
“closed doors” to block funding for upstream projects, according to
David Shinn, former US ambassador to Ethiopia.
Nile states have sought to re-negotiate the old treaty but Egyptian
officials have stalled it for years.
John Ashworth
Regional Representative
IKV Pax Christi Horn of Africa Programme
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