CLEARING HOUSE TO VET THE SHARING OF THE NILE WATER EAST AFRICAN MARCH 5-11, 2007
River Nile is one of the longest rivers in the world. Since the river flows across many countries there is need to have a frame work on how its water should be used. The existing agreement of 1929 requires Egypt and Britain to consent before any project takes place on the Nile. Many riparian states have viewed this to be unfair to them.
On February 23 2007 Nile council of ministers(NILECOM) met in Rwanda and proposed to set up Nile commission to be a clearing house for all activities that take place on the Nile. However this proposal was left open ended as most counties felt that pre-notification before any project goes on undermined the soverity of member nations to exploit Nile resources within their borders. Under what is proposed members nations would need notification for project like
irrigation, hydro power generation within its borders. Experts claim that any project that takes place on the river can affect water flow and quality of water down stream in other nations which makes pre-notification and co-operative frame a must for sustainable use of river Nile. With these issues to be resolved the council gave its self two months to hold consultations within member countries on the matter before negotiations can resume in May in Uganda. At least in principal NILECOM agreed to establish the Nile commission to be a clearing house for all projects that take place on the Nile. This proposed permanent commission is to replace the present Nile basin initiative established in 1999 which was a transitory body and has been designing and implementing agreed projects on the Nile.
The new commission will be hosted by Uganda, NILECOM will be its supreme body, and will have a technical team of experts in law and water from all riparian states. The current chairman Odette Kayitesi from Burundi says principal issues have now been agreed on and negotiations will be soon concluded. The principle issues like water utilization and environmental management,
pollution, data sharing have already been agreed on. They are other bodies like Lake Victoria basin commissions binding east African states, Blue Nile commission for Egypt and Ethiopia which are connected to the Nile. What is not clear however is whether the new commissions will act autonomously or work with existing bodies. The present Nile basin initiative is funded by Sweden, Canada, Germany and Norway riparian countries only contribute a small portion to the budget of the commission. It remains to be seen whether riparian states will fund most of the activities of the new commission.
However co-operative frame work is needed by all riparian states to use Nile waters to their full economic potential without endangering the use of other states and future generations using the Nile resources.