EGYPT pledges to defend its Nile water rights now that the downstream and upstream countries have locked horns over a new water-sharing pact, governmental officials stress. Last week, Egypt's Red Sea resort town of Sharm el-Sheikh hosted a conference that was attended by the riparian nations of Sudan, Burundi, DR Congo, Ethiopia, Kenya, Rwanda, Tanzania and Uganda. The gathering witnessed sharp disputes and conflicts of interest over the new pact. “The conference wasn't fruitful, while Egypt and Sudan, its upstream ally, insist on safeguarding their historic quotas of river water,” Parliamentary and Legal Affairs Minister Mufid Shehab said after the conference. "Nile water is a matter of life and death for Egypt, which reserves the right to take whatever course it sees fit to safeguard its share," Minister Shehab stressed. He added that the Cairo and Khartoum governments insist on their annual share of water from the 6,670km-long river, warning the upstream countries against signing an agreement from which they are excluded . His warning came after the Nile Basin countries failed to agree on a framework to reallocate quotas of river water, a longstandingdemand by several upstream countries. Minister of Water Resources and Irrigation Mohamed Allam described Egypt's share of Nile water as a national security issue and a historic right, which the country will defend. Egypt's share is 55.5 billion cubic metres per annum in accordance with the 1959 treaty with Sudan. The agreement, which excludes Ethiopia and other upstream states, remains the basis of and reference for Nile Basin co-operation projects. Prior to that, the 1929 a agreement, which was signed between Cairo and London, gave Egypt veto power over water projects that could be implemented by the upstream countries. However, six Nile Basin countries,championed by Ethiopia, say these treaties are unfair and they demand an equitable water-sharing agreement that would allow for more irrigation and power projects. On May 14, they plan to sign a new accord that will redistribute rights to water from the Nile. "If Nile Basin countries unilaterally sign this accord, it will be in violation of international law and the Nile Basin Initiative which was signed in 1999," Minister Allam said, warning that Egypt will not be bound by it because it is illegal. The Nile Basin Initiative, the World Bank-funded umbrella group of Nile Basin countries, has put off signing a water-sharing pact because of objections from Egypt and Sudan. Egypt categorically refuses any deal that would reduce its share of the Nile and give more access to other countries, Allam stressed, adding that the Egyptian Government also wants veto power overany new irrigation projects undertaken by the other nine river states. Minister Shehab explained that international laws governing international rivers prohibit any of the countries through which the river passes from any act that would hamper navigation, affect the water share or threaten the interests of other countries. He made reference to many agreements that have been made with all Nile Basin countries, which are still valid regardless of regime change. Many Egyptian officials believe that diplomacy remains a viable solution to any water conflict with other Nile Basin countries. During a recent parliamentary session Zakaria Azmi, chief of the presidential staff, said that these serious issues could be handled with diplomacy, while Parliamentary Speaker Fathi Sorour commented that the Nile Basin countries must cooperate in a fraternal spirit.
