The Nile Basin Cooperative Framework Agreement (CFA) officially came into force on Sunday, despite ongoing objections from Egypt and Sudan, Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed announced.
The agreement establishes the Nile River Basin Commission (NRBC), a body designed to promote and coordinate collaboration among the Nile Basin countries in managing the river’s resources. While the CFA has been endorsed by upstream nations such as Ethiopia, Rwanda, South Sudan, Uganda, Tanzania, and the Democratic Republic of Congo, Egypt and Sudan have refused to sign.
Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed urged the non-signatory countries to join what he termed the “Nile Family,” which seeks regional cooperation for the fair use of the river’s resources.
The CFA marks the first comprehensive multilateral initiative among Nile Basin states to set up a legal and institutional framework for the river’s management and use.
The Nile River remains a point of contention, particularly between Egypt and Ethiopia, as Ethiopia continues the construction of the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam (GERD) on the Blue Nile, a significant Nile tributary. Ethiopia sees the dam as crucial for its economic development and asserts it will not impact downstream water supplies. In contrast, Egypt views the GERD as a threat to its share of the Nile’s waters and insists on a binding agreement on the dam’s filling and operation.