Scholars say projects on River Nile consistent with international water laws

Addis Ababa, March 25, 2017 (FBC) -The mega projects Ethiopia has been building on River Nile, including the Great Ethiopian Renaissance Dam (GERD), are consistent with international water laws, scholars said.

The country’s fair and rational water utilization benefit the upper and lower riparian countries, they added.

The scholars recalled the establishment of the Nile Basin Initiative (NBI) in 1999 by the riparian countries to ensure fair and rational water use.

The Nile Basin Cooperative Framework Agreement was signed by 9 riparian countries, with the exception of Sudan and Egypt. Though Democratic Republic of Congo has accepted the agreement, it has not yet signed it.

The scholars said countries that have rejected and refused to sign the agreement simply want to stick to the unfair agreements concluded during colonial period. But Ethiopia’s water utilization does not harm the interest of any riparian country, they added.

Eastern Nile Technical Regional Office (ENTRO) Director-General, Fekahmed Negash told ENA that the mega projects Ethiopia is constructing on River Nile abides by international water laws.

The Nile Basin Cooperative Framework Agreement is based on internationally accepted cross border management principles, he noted.

The director-general stressed that Ethiopia has been constructing the GERD, Tana Beles and other infrastructural development projects based on fair utilization laws of rivers.

Addis Ababa University Lecturer and Researcher, Dr. Yaqob Arsano said Ethiopia’s utilization of River Nile respects international water laws and does not affect the riparian countries.

He added that the country’s water utilization system would ensure mutual benefits among the riparian countries.