There is growing optimism on the ease of tensions between countries in the Nile basin. Egyptian ambassador to Ethiopia sees dialogue as good for the whole region. Riparian states are to restart stalled negotiations on the use of Nile waters. Democratic changes in North Africa, giving opportunity for colonial policy changes, as Egyptian delegates visited Kampala for talks on water sharing between countries in the Nile basin. Negotiations stalled as Egypt opposed the construction of the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance dam but there is hope for more dialogue with Nile Basin Cooperative Framework Agreement (CFA) on water sharing with riparian countries. .
Question 1B.
Egyptian dominance of the Nile dates back to colonial era agreements, the Nile Waters Agreement (1929) between Egypt and Sudan gave Egypt the rights to most of the waters forbidding other riparian states. Her dominance of the waters was because of great military, political and economic might, aided by the instability in upstream states. The 1959 Nile Waters Agreement was also only between Egypt and Sudan and other stakeholders upstream were not signatories resulting in growing discontent from countries like the then Tanganyika (Tanzania) and Ethiopia. Proposals to build a dam near Lake Tana by Ethiopia led to threats of war by Egypt and subsequent destabilization of other riparian countries. This was in the form of prevention of water projects by blocking any lines of credit from banks or mere vetoing such proposals using its economic might. (Furniss, 2009).
Nile basin countries in the 1990's sought cooperation as stakeholders and the need to share the waters equally, culminating in the formation of the Nile Basin Initiative (NBI) 1999 whose main objectives were:.
Developing the water resources in a sustainable equal way so as to ensure security, .
prosperity and peace in the region.
Efficiently manage the water and resource use.
