The annual Nile Day celebration, held on 22 February, is an occasion to investigate ways of boosting cooperation among the ten Nile Basin nations. Yet this year's celebration seemed special as it marked the tenth anniversary of the Nile Basin Initiative. Investments within the framework of the initiative amounted to $ 300 million, and covered areas of joint projects. The initiative had 25 projects to benefit from water tributaries providing 1660 billion cubic meters annually.

The self-evident question, however, is whether prospects of cooperation could induce Nile Basin nations to set aside their disagreements in search of ways of collective action.

Although water resources are indispensable for development, aspects of divergence and conflict among member states usually gain ascendancy over the positive steps that have been taken, however promising the latter are.

In this context, the answer to the question posed above will focus on the new proposals suggested by the initiative, coordination among its member states, as well as its ability to perform as a framework for regional cooperation.

As for the initiative's goals, they include a group of cooperation channels. The following short-run objectives were announced:
-Outlining a framework acceptable to all member states
-Boosting cooperation in the field of collective management of water resources

Long-run goals were as follows:
-Determining each nation's share of Nile water
-Finding innovative methods for utilising Nile water for the sake of peoples' social and economic welfare

In addition, a group of general principles were agreed upon: all Nile Basin nations are entitled to use Nile water; projects aimed at utilising Nile water should not be harmful to other nations; any project should benefit two countries at least.

If positive developments concerning moves of cooperation among Nile Basin nations are viewed in its entirety, the magnitude of the achievements made by the initiative would be realised. For instance, the Common Market for Eastern and Southern Africa (COMESA) was founded to gather all Nile Basin nations. One could trace a growing tendency to abandon water conflicts on the grounds that the major water challenge has more to do with distribution than scarcity. The fact that Nile Basin countries are keen on activating areas of cooperation enhances opportunities of reaching a state of stability and progress, and bridges the gap with respect to the interpretation of the concept of water security.


As for negotiation rounds, which usually focus on technical aspects, they acquired new dimension via stressing economic and developmental considerations.

Among the ideas promoted by these rounds are:
-Proposing a negotiation approach based upon balancing interests among member states

-Upgrading levels of technical cooperation to grasp the relationship between development and water resources

-Improving the efficiency of water resource utilisation

-Protecting Nile water against contamination

-Depoliticising the water file as much as possible

-Forging new channels of communications with international organizations.

-Negotiations revealed the necessity to formulate a collective vision to deal with the challenges stemmed from previous forms of cooperation and outline the rules governing the implementation of the initiative

-Neutralising political divergences over conflicts plaguing the Horn of Africa and Great Lakes regions

-Intensifying efforts aiming at stability and peace.

-The Egyptian position calling for overcoming the split over Nile water shares is crucial if a real progress is to be made. Egypt adopts a multifaceted approach: first, stressing the need to increase its share of Nile water by about 11 billion cubic meters in light of the growing population which places Egypt on the brink of water poverty (the current level of per capita share is 726 cubic meters); second, enhancing processes of exchanging experiences among Nile Basin countries-Cairo is eager to help Nile Basin nations through dispatching exerts to the region and contributing in establishing centres for water research in these countries; third, encouraging civil society to take part in the question of water resources through organising national forums for those groups and organisations interested in the issue-the International Forum for Nile Basin is a broad network including a host of activists and organisations; fourth, supporting joint development programmes through the establishment of a fund to be affiliated with the African-bank specifically for this purpose.

-Enhancing the institutional framework of the Nile Basin Initiative via a $ 32-million annual grant. Concerned countries agreed on extending the initiative's transitional period by more three years (it now terminates in 2010 instead of 2007). They also accepted to consider the idea of founding a general commission for Nile Basin countries to substitute the initiative. It is worthy of mentioning here that the World Bank has allocated $ 700 million to establish projects in these countries (with two countries at least to benefit from each project).

-Preserving the current negotiation mechanism, although political and economic disagreement and cultural differences among member states usually have a negative impact on this mechanism.

Despite the frequent announces on cooperation among Nile Basin countries, the latter seem lacking the political will to put propositions and plans into effect. The failure to sign the long-awaited legal agreement for water cooperation despite the repeated announcements that the agreement is round the corner reveals the negative role played by politics on the process of cooperation. In fact, divergent views on the concept of water security and water shares are among the stumbling blocks on the way of water cooperation.

In view of the obstacles mentioned above, there has to be a way to forge ties and create common interests among Nile Basin nations despite the fact that political leaders sometimes think otherwise. A package of mechanisms should be adopted if this objective is to materialise.

First, in pursuit of handling the relations with Nile Basin nations, the Egyptian Ministry of Water Resources should go beyond the limits of the current technical role-however important and outstanding it is-to a play a political role based upon the engagement in negotiations that should take into consideration the interests of member states.

Second, member states should focus on the developmental dimension and realise the relationship between progress and the efficient use of water resources. The demand usually raised by Sudan, Ethiopia and Kenya, to change the pattern of irrigation to depend on Nile water rather than rains, should be respected and seriously considered in tandem with Egypt's needs to broaden the cultivated area.

Third, popular organisations in these countries should build channels of communication, for this would help enhance mutual understanding among peoples of the region. Moreover, this would correct a plethora of misconceptions, particularly those concerning the Egyptian stance vis-à-vis the question.

Finally, one should stress the need to reach an efficient mechanism for organising the process of negotiation, as it would strengthen ties and forms of cooperation among Nile Basin countries.


*Deputy editor-in-chief of Arab Strategic Report and expert at Al-Ahram Centre for Political and Strategic Studies