Who Controls The Nile River
The Nile River is not only the longest river in the world at over 4,166 miles long, but also provides essential resources to the 11 countries in Northeast Africa that border its riverbanks. For example, on the heels of a two-year drought, Egypt increasingly relies on the Nile for irrigating its crops, brewing beer, and powering hydroelectricity. Yet despite its importance, no single country controls the Nile River.
The lack of a sole controller of the Nile has led to a complicated history. The use of the river has varied throughout the centuries, beginning with Ancient Egyptian pharaohs beginning to develop agricultural systems along the banks of the Nile in 2500 BC. This early water management allowed Egypt to expand and convert itself into a ‘Gift of the Nile’ civilization. In later centuries, the presence of other nations acted as a limiting factor on Egypt’s dominance of the Nile.
The headwaters of the Nile River stem from the 10 countries it travels through, which understanding of the changing geo politics and seasonal fluctuations of the river is necessary. Furthermore, in 1929 a conflict between Egypt and Sudan over Nile rights ensued, followed in 1959 by the Nile Waters Agreement (NWA) which Egypt and Sudan reached between, dividing the Nile into two shares and giving Egypt and Sudan exclusive use of their part of the Nile. However, this was only two countries, and believing that the Nile Waters Agreement was not in the interest of other states, in 2011, with the onset of the Arab Spring, a new agreement—the ‘Cooperative Framework Agreement’ was proposed by the Nile Basin Countries, which would allow all states in the Nile Basin to be involved in the conversation and management of the Nile water resources.
Of the 11 nations with territorial claims to the Nile, Ethiopia holds the majority of the water resources, receiving on average 86% of the total Nile runoff. Having such a prime position gives Ethiopia leverage over the other nations that rely heavily on the Nile River for their national survival. By only largely depending on external sources—such as the NWA—to control the waters of the Nile, downstream nations are left vulnerable to the influence of upstream nations, particularly Ethiopia which is the only state capable of constructing a dam powerful enough to control the flow of the river. As a result, negotiations and a serious dialogue between the states of the Nile Basin is necessary in order to prevent the Nile from becoming subject to the unilateral power of Ethiopia.
International Perspectives
The changes in international perspectives on the Nile River has been drastic. In the past, Egypt had the majority of the influence in terms of agreements and usage of the Nile River, but since then there has been a shift. This can be due to the effort of nations such as Sudan and especially Ethiopia, who have worked hard to become larger geopolitical players in the region.
The shift in power also affects the international policies held by Egypt and Sudan. Today, both countries are actively involved in mediation processes between the countries in the Nile Basin and instead of vehemently opposing any agreement without Egyptian or Sudanese hegemony they have now proposed a new agreement to include all other nations in the conversation. This illustrates the understanding by Egypt and Sudan of the importance of including ethical perspectives in world politics, an effort that the United Nations has continuously advocated for.
Environmental Impact
The environmental impact of current policies concerning the Nile River must also be considered. Although the introduction of the Cooperative Framework Agreement has allowed a more equitable division of resources between upstream and downstream countries, the environmental impact of over-exploitation of the Nile’s resources remains a critical issue.
The Nile already has a high level of pollution, most notably caused by agricultural runoff, hydroelectric dams, and the overfishing of many of its indigenous species. In particular, the Nile perch is a species more and more threatened by both intensive fishing and sewage spills due to an increasing population and water demands. This is a major issue, since the Nile has long been a vital resource for the 11 countries it runs through.
The Role of NGOs
The role of Non-Governmental Organizations (NGOs) has increased due to the current conflicting and often unethical views of the future of the Nile. NGOs such as the World Health and the United Nations have utilized their power to increase the activeness of water management policies in the region, and have been exploring different methods of sharing the river’s water between countries while also protecting the delicate environmental balance of the river.
By training locals in environmental impact assessment and placing an emphasis on public education and communicative strategies, the NGOs hope to slowly bridge the gap between the countries involved in the negotiation process and reach an agreement that does not infringe upon the rights of any country, no matter how small.
A Lesson for the World
Ultimately the Nile River has a valuable lesson for the world: geopolitical collaboration is necessary for continued sustainability, welfare and wellbeing. Although the countries of the Nile Basin initially struggled to get to a shared consensus, it is encouraging that with the emergence of the Cooperative Framework Agreement all states have been included in the dialogues and negotiations of the Nile’s resources. From this, we can take solace in understanding, that even when negotiations are long and contentious, there is always a way to come to agreements, if we work together.
Changing Climate and Hydro-Politics
In recent years, climate change has impacted the Nile River’s flow, making it a debated topic amongst the various countries that border it. Some countries believe that harsh droughts that ravaged the regions to the south were caused by changing climate, while others attribute the lack of sufficient water to the human manipulation of the river. The lack of clear causality has caused dams, water-engineering projects, such as Ethiopia’s controversial Grand Renaissance Dam and other water-engineering projects to become contentious, as countries jockey for the scarce resource that keeps their agriculture, industry and power sectors running.
These projects are seen as a way to ensure a predictable flow of water, and to prevent the Nile River’s water levels from becoming too low in some areas; and too high in others. Ethiopia, being the headwater nation, has come under particular scrutiny and criticism from Sudan, Egypt, and other downstream countries, who worry that Ethiopia’s ambitious projects will diminish their already scarce resource allocations.
Role Of International Organizations
International organizations such as the United Nations and World Bank have made attempts to oversee and mediate the hydro-politics of the Nile River, often supporting investments and sustainable projects that can help all countries involved. However, already contentious negotiations between the countries of the Nile River have often been exacerbated by the slow process of international organizations’ negotiations.
Furthermore, new policies posing as diplomatic solutions to the current conflicts of the Nile are often viewed as unfavourable by some downstream countries, who argue that upstream countries should be continuing their current actions in order to maintain their current beneficial flow of resources. As a result, these countries feel even the most moderate approaches to the future of the Nile put them in an unwelcomed and unfavourable position, when they see themselves as powerless in the face of factors beyond their control.
Impacts of Population Growth and Migration
The Nile River Basin is home to over 300 million people and rapidly has some of the fastest growing populations in the world. The region’s size, combined with its rapidly growing population, has put immense strain on the Nile’s resources. Populations in certain countries are growing faster than their resources can keep up with, and this has caused internal migration from rural areas to cities.
The population shift has caused the current conflicts to intensify, as the more populated countries are more reliant than ever on the Nile’s resources for their economic and energy needs. Furthermore, these increasing pressures have caused some governments to push for hasty, uninformed policies and impose regulations that heavily favour their own people’s interest over those of the other countries of the River Basin.
Public Opinion and Local Activism
In recent years, with the rise of global communication, local activisms around the Nile have become more prominent, especially with the increase of the region’s young population. Unlike the previous generations of governments, this new generation of citizens is well informed and opinionated, and their voice is slowly beginning to be heard. Social media, protests and other efforts have been helping to bring the region’s struggles to the attention of the international community in hopes of progress, and ultimately, peace along the Nile.
However, this wave of activism has taken two paths. One is full of reformist citizens advocating for public education, environmental protection and interpersonal wellbeing, while the other consists of nationalists and militarists determined to achieve a new agreement through harsh disciplining methods. There is luckily hope, though, that if the activism takes on more educated and diplomatic approaches, it can be a powerful force to facilitate a peaceful narrative in the region.
