CFA Ensures Equitable Water Benefits of Nile Basin Countries: Expert

Addis Ababa October 24/2024 (ENA)-Implementation of the Nile Basin Cooperative Framework Agreement (CFA) ensures an equitable share of the Nile River water among the Nile basin countries, Feki Ahmed, a researcher in water resource development said. 

The Nile Basin Commission which will be established among Nile Basin States will serve as important institution for using, developing, protecting, conserving and managing the river basin and its waters.

The CFA opened for signatures on May 14, 2010 and Ethiopia, Rwanda, Tanzania, Uganda, Burundi and South Sudan have ratified.

Following these ratifications by 6 Nile riparian countries, officially the CFA entered into force on October 13, 2024.

Feki Ahmed told ENA that the agreement ensure to maintain equitable share of waters and benefits by nullifying the colonial treaties.

The colonial agreement had made the major water contributors countries a spectator while unjustly benefited the non-contributors for years, he added.

Hence, the CFA ascertains the fair and equitable benefit of the Nile basin countries on legal basis, he pointed out.

Feki added that any issues related to sharing of the Nile River waters among the upper and down-stream countries will be resolved through the CFA.

Furthermore, the water researcher emphasized that entering into force of the CFA is a milestone for the Nile Basin countries towards mutual cooperation.

According to him, this will lead for the countries to mutually cooperate on sharing technological advancement, human power and water utilization.