Nile basin states rule out amending 1929 treaty
Egypt-Regional, Politics, 3/18/2004

The Nile basin countries discuss today in Kenya projects on irrigation, electricity and drainage where they seek to reach a unanimous stand on important statistics concerning waterfall rates and amounts of Nile river waters.

The basin's southern states might raise its demands of fairer amounts of waters during the meeting which will be attended by water ministers in Kenya, Egypt, Sudan, Ethiopia; Uganda, Congo, Tanzania, Eritrea, Burundi and Rwanda.

These countries which have a rapid population growth rate, view with anger an agreement standing since the time of colonialism giving actual control on the Nile which has a 6741 Km length and its African springs for the Egyptian users.

The 1929 agreement signed between Egypt and Britain, on behalf of east Africa states which used to colonize at that time, gives Egypt the right to object to any use for the waters of Lake Victoria that might threaten water shares in the Nile. Egypt which faces a challenge from the states of the greater southern desert because of its control of the Nile water of the thirsty states of the Nile spring to perform better concerning collection of the heavy rainfall and its organized redistribution.

The Egyptian minister of irrigation and water resources Mahmoud Abu Zeid said that Egypt will not accept less than guaranteed than that of 1929 treaty of the Nile waters. He added that Egypt will be in need of more share of waters after 2017 because of the population growth.

Previous Stories:
  Gas producers meeting winds up   (3/16/2004)
  President Mubarak's speech at 'Arab Reform: Vision and Implementation' Conference   (3/13/2004)
  Abu Zeid: New agreement grouping Nile basin countries   (3/13/2004)

Please add a link on your webiste pointing to ArabicNews.com and bookmark ArabicNews.com & subscribe to our daily email news bulletin.

Search