According to a recent article in the East African, a row is simmering between the Ugandan and Tanzanian governments about a supposed secret agreement between Cairo and Kampala on the diversion and use of additional water from the Nile river for domestic activities. The Nile Treaty (1929) gives Egypt rights to more than 70% of the Nile water and has been severely disputed by East African countries from which the Nile originates. Can a solution be found? What sharing scheme would be fairest for all the countries through which the Nile flows?
1 comments:
I don't even know why Tanzania is squabbling- the Nile clearly begins in Uganda! But with that said, alot of the colonial-era agreements/contracts need to be re-examined. Also, most of the Nile's water in Egypt comes from Ethiopia (the Blue Nile). That should also be factored into the overall debate. It poses a challenge because Egypt relies on the Nile. About 85% of the population lives on 15% of the land-the fertile land along the Nile. Another challenge is that the population of Cairo alone is huge-a limited water supply has a serious ripple effect. One must ask who determines who should share their own natural resources? The case of the power-sharing agreement in East Africa, alot of power is exported outside of Uganda yet shouldn't a country have a right to enjoy it's own natural resouces before sharing with others? It's amazing why much of Africa still feels itself bound to the colonial agreements. When will we be independent if we continue to allow these "rules" to govern us?
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