Colonial Rhetoric on Egypt’s “Historic Share” from Nile Waters is Unacceptable

Ethiopia has been working on the win-win solution regarding using Nile waters. It believes that over 250 million people of the Blue Nile Basin have to benefit fairly from the water. This stance of the country that contributes over 85 percent of the water deserves recognition instead of rejecting it putting unnecessary pressure in place.

The European Union’s (EU) latest statement for the preservation of Egypt’s “historic share” from Nile waters is a one-sided and contravenes the Union’s impartial status regarding the construction of the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam (GERD).

According to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Ethiopia, EU’s backing of Egypt’s mythical historic share from Nile waters is not something expected from observers and the stance needs reconsideration. This stance of the EU contradicts that it had before.

Some two years back, the European Commission and European Council acknowledged the strategic significance of the Nile River and Ethiopia’s mega hydro-power under construction. This is indicated in a letter Presidents of European Council and European Commission have written to Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed of Ethiopia. The two presidents have indicated that they encourage discussions and negotiations among the major Nile Riparian countries, Ethiopia, Egypt and Sudan to resolve the issue peacefully. They also expressed their interest to bring aboard international cross boundary water experts that can help the disputing countries reach agreement on the use of the Nile River and GERD.

On top of contradicting its impartial stance thus, EU’s latest comment showcases the union’s departure from its mandate and affinity with Egypt. The move also puts the EU’s integrity and impartiality in the negotiations in a doubt.

Though promoting a win-win benefit from the Nile waters among the riparian countries, Ethiopia strictly defies the colonial rhetoric the so called Egypt’s “historic share” that allocated all the Nile River’s Water to Egypt and Sudan. Although Egypt has persistently argued that the 1959 agreement between Egypt and Sudan is the legal framework for the allocation of the waters of the Nile, Ethiopia and other upstream riparian states reject that argument.

The 1959 agreement allocated all the Nile River’s waters to Egypt and Sudan, leaving 10 billion cubic meters (b.c.m.) for seepage and evaporation, but afforded no water to Ethiopia or other upstream riparian states—the sources of most of the water that flows into the Nile.

This agreement of colonial era that excluded Ethiopia, the source of the river is totally unacceptable and the European Union should reconsider the issue and correct its comment in the way it reveals its impartiality.

The main reason repeatedly expressed that Ethiopia is constructing GERD is to generate hydro power to give light to its over 60 percent population living in the darkness at the moment and enable them to produce enough food for their family. It has no such evil intention of blocking the river and putting in danger the livelihood of the lower riparian people.

The Ethiopian Herald  25 June 2022