Fragile ceasefire in Gaza: Egypt's intelligence chief visits Israel to advance peace process    Egypt, Qatar discuss Gaza aid, bilateral cooperation    Egypt, France agree to boost humanitarian aid, rebuild Gaza's health sector    Egypt implements 60% of 300 investment climate reforms: El-Khatib    AOI overhauls, repairs nitrogen fertilizer plant turbines for first time in Egypt    Egypt's SCZONE head meets with Toyota Tsusho, Tokyo officials on Japan tour    Egyptian junior and ladies' golf open to be held in New Giza, offers EGP 1m in prizes    EGX closes mixed on Oct. 21    The Survivors of Nothingness — Part Two    EGAS, Eni, TotalEnergies sign Cronos field handling agreement    Oil prices drop on Tuesday    Egypt discusses troop deployment to Somalia with foreign minister    Egypt's PM reviews efforts to remove Nile River encroachments    Health Minister reviews readiness of Minya for rollout of universal health insurance    Egypt strengthens ties with NEPAD at Aswan Forum    Sisi invites Egyptians to join Gaza reconstruction drive, citing shared humanity    Egypt screens 13.3m under presidential cancer detection initiative since mid-2023    Egypt launches official website for Grand Egyptian Museum ahead of November opening    The Survivors of Nothingness — Episode (I)    Al-Sisi: Cairo to host Gaza reconstruction conference in November    Egypt, WHO sign cooperation strategy to strengthen health system through 2028    Egypt successfully hosts Egyptian Amateur Open golf championship with 19-nation turnout    Africa can lead global recovery, Egypt's Sisi tells Aswan Forum    Egypt: Guardian of Heritage, Waiting for the World's Conscience    Egypt, Qatar sign MoU to boost cooperation in healthcare, food safety    Egypt will never relinquish historical Nile water rights, PM says    Al Ismaelia launches award-winning 'TamaraHaus' in Downtown Cairo revival    Al-Sisi, Burhan discuss efforts to end Sudan war, address Nile Dam dispute in Cairo talks    Egypt's Sisi warns against unilateral Nile actions, calls for global water cooperation    Egypt unearths New Kingdom military fortress on Horus's Way in Sinai    Egyptian Open Amateur Golf Championship 2025 to see record participation    Syria releases preliminary results of first post-Assad parliament vote    Karnak's hidden origins: Study reveals Egypt's great temple rose from ancient Nile island    Egypt resolves dispute between top African sports bodies ahead of 2027 African Games    Germany among EU's priciest labour markets – official data    Paris Olympic gold '24 medals hit record value    It's a bit frustrating to draw at home: Real Madrid keeper after Villarreal game    Russia says it's in sync with US, China, Pakistan on Taliban    Shoukry reviews with Guterres Egypt's efforts to achieve SDGs, promote human rights    Sudan says countries must cooperate on vaccines    Johnson & Johnson: Second shot boosts antibodies and protection against COVID-19    Egypt to tax bloggers, YouTubers    Egypt's FM asserts importance of stability in Libya, holding elections as scheduled    We mustn't lose touch: Muller after Bayern win in Bundesliga    Egypt records 36 new deaths from Covid-19, highest since mid June    Egypt sells $3 bln US-dollar dominated eurobonds    Gamal Hanafy's ceramic exhibition at Gezira Arts Centre is a must go    Italian Institute Director Davide Scalmani presents activities of the Cairo Institute for ITALIANA.IT platform    







Thank you for reporting!
This image will be automatically disabled when it gets reported by several people.



Ethiopia rejects linking Nile water shares agreements with sovereignty over GERD's Benishangul
Published in Ahram Online on 04 - 05 - 2021

Ethiopia has described Sudan's latest statements, in which Khartoum said that Addis Ababa's denial of Nile water shares agreements would compromise its sovereignty over the Benishangul region, as "utterly ridiculous," renewing a tug-of-war between the two countries over the Nile dam dispute.

An official statement released on Tuesday by Ethiopia's foreign ministry assailed linking border treaties with the Nile water shares agreements in addressing the long-running dispute caused by the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam (GERD).

Sudan and Egypt, the third party of the dispute, have been negotiating with Ethiopia for a decade now to reach a comprehensive and legally binding agreement over GERD but to no avail.

While Sudan and Egypt upheld the historic agreements as points of reference in the negotiations, Ethiopia has been trying since last year to include a new water shares agreement in the GERD negotiations, claiming that the previous agreements date back to a colonial era.
Sudan on Friday called upon Ethiopia to commit to accords on Nile water shares since it signed them as "an independent state," noting that disavowing water shares agreements means "compromising sovereignty" over the Benishangul region, which devolved from Khartoum to Addis Ababa under these agreements.

The Benishangul region, on which the controversial dam has been under construction since 2011, was granted to Ethiopia under the 1902 Anglo-Ethiopian treaty. The treaty was signed between the United Kingdom (representing Egypt and Sudan) and Ethiopia (represented by Emperor Menelik II of Abyssinia).

Ethiopia, under the same agreement, is prohibited from constructing any waterworks across the Blue Nile that would affect the river's natural flow.

Addis Ababa described the Sudanese comment as an "unwarranted, provocative and increasingly bellicose propaganda campaign."

The Ethiopian foreign ministry said that the "attempt by the government of Sudan to mix the boundary treaties with the unjust, exclusive and colonial-based bilateral agreements on the utilisation of the waters of the Nile is regrettable."

Ethiopia claimed that its territories in the west would have been extended beyond its current boundary if it was not for the existing boundary agreements.

Ethiopia reiterated, in Tuesday's statement, its rejection of what it described as "attempts to preserve a self-appropriated water quota among the downstream countries".

The historical treaties include the 1959 Egypt-Sudan Nile waters agreement, which allows both countries full, rather than partial, use of Nile waters and confirms Egypt's right to 55.5 bcm annually, while Sudan have the right to 18.5 bcm.

The 1959 agreement supplements the 1929 'Nile Waters Agreement', which saw Egypt and Great Britain, which represented Uganda, Kenya, Tanzania, and Sudan at the time, sign an agreement that gives Cairo the right to veto projects higher up the Nile that affects its water share.

GERD talks have repeatedly been stalled due to Addis Ababa's refusal to include an international mediator - to bridge gaps between the negotiating parties - and Ethiopia insisting on pursuing guiding terms rather than a legally binding agreement.

Arranging a legally binding agreement has been the norm in international agreements on the management of transboundary water resources, such as the River Nile.

In addition to the GERD dispute, tensions have been running high between Khartoum and Addis Ababa over the Al-Fashaqa region, where Ethiopian farmers have long cultivated fertile land claimed by Sudan.

Addis Ababa also said Sudan's latest comments aim to "cover up" its "aggression", which it said has resulted in "the looting and burning of properties, [the] killing of civilians as well as the displacement of thousands of Ethiopians".


Clic here to read the story from its source.