Nile River Basin Nile Sudd Swamp Blue Nile White Nile

Presentation on theme: "Nile River Basin Nile Sudd Swamp Blue Nile White Nile"— Presentation transcript:

1 Nile River Basin Nile Sudd Swamp Blue Nile White Nile
Many issues – environmental, political stability, economic growth and stability Choose to focus on allocation of water in the Nile and recent efforts for developing the potential of the Nile Blue Nile originates in Ethiopia. Notice Eritera – recently gained independence from Ethiopia – which now makes Ethiopia landlocked. White Nile feeds out of Lake Victoria – second largest freshwater lake in the world In Sudan – Sudd Swamp – very critical area Two join together in Sudan – note – north of Khartom, Sudan, basically no rain falls and no water is added to the Nile White Nile

2 Basin Population Ten Riparian States Egypt Sudan Ethiopia Uganda
Rwanda Tanzania Kenya D.R. Congo Eritrea Burundi Big Three players – Egypt, Sudan, Ethiopia – Ethiopia has highest population growth rate of the three and will possibly by-pass Egypt as the most populus

3 Issues in the Nile Basin
Ethiopia Generates 85% water reaching Egypt’s Aswah Dam Second most populated riparian state “The Single most important strategic interest is striving to attain food security in a chronically famine-prone region…and all scenarios [involve] more intense use of the western Nile watershed” Waterbury Egypt 96% of population live in Nile Delta/Basin Entirely dependent on Nile waters – Only 4% from underground reserves Considered the most powerful riparian state in basin Sudan 60% of Land Mass in Basin Sudd Swamp – Evap loss of 50% of all Water in White Nile Civil war Historically always sided with Egypt in Nile Issues Ehtiopia - famine, poverty - making strides in water resourses Sudan – 40% farmable land – only 1% currently being farmed Egypt - environmental issues, growth issues

4 Unique Issues to Nile Basin
Historic precedence Colonial and Egyptian control Egypt and Northern Sudan do not contribute to water generation in the Nile Majority of the riparian states became independent nations since the 1960’s Political and economic basis weak Border wars, unstable and corrupt governments

5 International Agreements
1899 Anglo-Egyptian No water withdrawn upstream of Egypt without Egyptian and British consent 1929 – Egyptian and British Agreement British represented Kenya, Tanzania and Sudan 93% water of Nile allocated to Egypt, 7% to Sudan All upstream projects approved by Egypt 1959 – Egypt and Sudan 75% to Egypt, 25% to Sudan Rejected by all of the other riparian states when they became independent Unfortunately, the other states have not had the economic or political stablity to develop water projects to challenge the 1959 allocation

6 Water Allocation in the Basin

7 Riparian States Interests
Status Quo Egypt Uganda New Allocations Ethiopia Sudan Eritrea Indifferent Kenya, Tanzania, Congo, Rwanda, Burundi

8 How do you allocate the water in the Nile?
Do we expect oil rich countries to share their natural resources?

9 Beaumont’s Proposal 50/50 Historical/Generation
Proposed Allocation

10 “Equitable and Reasonable”
Beaumont (1997) – 50% generation/50% historical usage (MCM)  Allocation-Generation Allocation- Historical Total Current Change Egypt 23370 67640 -44270 Ethiopia 35850 Sudan 21550 21360 190 89000

11 Brichier-Colomba (1996) 33% weight to each factor
Population of Riparian’s country in Basin Riparian's Area of Basin Average amount of water used

12 Brichier-Colomba (1996) 33% weight to each factor
Population of Riparian’s country in Basin Riparian's Area of Basin Average amount of water used Normalized Proposed Total Current Change Egypt 94% 13% 76% 54.0% 48091 67640 -19549 Ethiopia 50% 14% 0% 19.2% 17082 Sudan 10% 60% 24% 26.8% 23827 21360 2467

13 What factors should be considered for allocations in the Nile Basin?

14 Waterbury’s Criteria Equal Weighting for each factor
Ratio of water flowing across a riparian's border to the total discharge of the watercourse Proportion of the ripairan's total population living in the basin Total amount of irrigable land that could be farmed with watercourse water without extra-basin transfers Amount of alternative, utilizable water available in aquifers, regionally appropriate rainfall and stored water (deductions) Basin needs per capita to protect life and basic health Allocation necessary to protect existing wetlands and ecosystems

15 What’s Happening in the Basin?

16 Recent History of Cooperation
1992 Council of Ministers of Water Affairs (Nile-COM) All riparian states represented 1995 Nile River Basin Action Plan Cooperative framework for management of the Nile Endorsed by all riparians 1997 World Bank agrees to play a lead role in coordinating external finances Egypt announces (unilaterally) New Nile Valley Development 1998 NBI Shared Vision Plan developed 1999 Nile Basin Initiative formally established

17 Nile Basin Initiative Goal: Objectives:
Achieve sustainable socioeconomic development through the equitable utilization of, and benefit from the common resources Objectives: Develop water resources in a sustainable and equitable way to ensure prosperity, security and peace for all its people Ensure efficient water management and optimal use Ensure cooperation and joint action between states Target poverty eradication and promote economic integration Ensure the program results in a move from planning to action

18 Shared Vision Project Portfolio
Applied Training Nile Transboundary Environmental Action Nile Basin Regional Power Trade Water for Agriculture Water Resources Planning and Management Confidence-Building and Stakeholder Involvement Socio-economic Development and Benefit Sharing

19 Recent Developments, cont.
2001 Sub-Basin agreements between Egypt, Sudan and Ethiopia Agreement to build dams and expand irrigation within Ethiopia with the plan to sell power to Sudan and Egypt Sept. 28, 2005 Largest ever dam to be built in Ethiopia at Kara Dobe on the Awash River with Sudan and Egypt providing financial support

20 Questions How did colonialism influence the development of water resources in the Nile basin? What factors impinge on the reaching agreement among the Nile River Riparian nations? Beaumont (2002) proposes a water allocation scheme to fit the “equitable and reasonable” call in the 1997 UN Convention on a 50% generation/50% historical split. Is this is applicable to the Nile River Basin? The Nile Basin Initiative did not start with specific water projects, but rather education, development of skilled personnel and inclusiveness of all stakeholders. Will this work?