Global Arab Network | Irrigation Minister: Egypt will not give up its rights to Nile waters

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Irrigation Minister: Egypt will not give up its rights to Nile waters

Global Arab Network - - Mohammed Almasri

Saturday, 12 March 2011 20:24

Egypt will not give up its historical and legal rights to Nile waters, said Water Resources and Irrigation Minister Hussein el-Atfi.

In this regard, some 13 agreements have been inked with Nile Basin countries since 1891 on the use of the Nile waters, added Atfi in statements on Friday 11/03/2011.

The deals assert Egypt's right to Nile water usage, according to Atfi.

Atfi said Egypt will exert strenuous efforts to secure its rights via diplomatic and legal channels.

A framework agreement, to which Burundi was the latest signatory country, aims at fostering bonds of cooperation among Nile Basin states, he said, adding the deal has nothing to do with Nile waters quota.

Meanwhile, Egypt's legal adviser on the matter, Mohamed Sameh Amr, identified seven problems obstructing the implementation of the framework agreement by source countries without the participation of Egypt and Sudan.

First, it is an incomplete agreement among Nile Basin countries because the draft did not fully meet all legal requirements. There are still some outstanding issues, most prominently the text of Article 14b remains under discussion, which pertains to Egypt's rights to river water based on previous international agreements.

Also, there are diverging opinions. Legal committees had agreed to follow a consensual not a majority decision-making model, as is the rule for adopting resolutions.

At the same time, the signing of the agreement was a clear violation of standing rules, since it was opened for signatures before reaching consensus. The fact that some source countries have already signed unilaterally is a breach of procedure.

Amr revealed that the future of the agreement is being studied, noting that the new Sudanese reality of partition into two states poses a new legal situation. Mustafa El-Feki, former Egyptian assistant foreign minister, agreed, saying that talks between Egyptian and South Sudan officials were reassuring before the partition, but this does not mean that after separation problems won't arise.

Amr noted that international donors play a critical role in the issue, and Cairo has presented many of them with detailed legal briefs proving the prerequisite of Egypt's approval for any water project in the Nile Basin area. At the same time, Egypt is looking into ways of cooperating with Nile Basin countries, as indicated by Ambassador Reda Bebars, the official responsible for the issue at the Egyptian Foreign Ministry.

However, Amr argued: “How can we reach out to these countries at a time when they are drafting agreements against Egypt's interests? This cooperation will not be fruitful because of them.”

Global Arab Network

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