Ministers responsible for water affairs of the Nile basin states have called on countries that are yet to sign and ratify the Cooperative Framework Agreement (CFA) on the Nile, to do so to enable the transition to the Nile River Basin Commission (NRBC) a body with full legal mandate to facilitate cooperation among the Nile Basin States in conservation, management and development of the Nile River Basin and its waters. So far six countries have signed the CFA (Burundi, Ethiopia, Kenya, Rwanda, Tanzania, Uganda) and out of those six, four countries (Ethiopia, Rwanda, Tanzania, and Uganda) have ratified the Treaty.
The Hon. Ministers made the call during 17th Nile Day celebrations that were held in Nairobi Kenya in February 2023. Kenya’s Prime Cabinet Secretary Hon. Musalia Mudavadi who was the chief guest at the event said that the Nile basin waters have great transformative potential for socio-economic development and human prosperity in the region hence the need for a legal mechanism to share the increasingly scarce waters of the Nile equitably among the basin states to minimize potential risks of conflicts.
Kenya’s Cabinet Secretary for Water, Sanitation, and irrigation Hon. Alice Muthoni Wahome who is also the chair of the Council of Minister (NELCOM) said that Kenya is eager to see the establishment of a permanent institutional framework which will take the achievements of NBI to the next level. She added that Kenya, with almost half of its water resources within Lake Victoria basin, considers Nile basin as a region of strategic importance for meeting its water demands and improving livelihoods. She added that the country has not relented on its commitment to the ideals of the CFA. Kenya’s Principal Secretary for Water, Sanitation, and Irrigation Dr. Paul Ronoh had earlier stated, in a media briefing ahead of the Nile Day, that the country is in an advanced stage of ratifying the CFA and that the Treaty had already been approved by Kenya’s Cabinet and Parliament.
Uganda Minister for Water and Environment Hon Sam Cheptoris while delivering his country’s position, stated that Uganda gives priority to transboundary cooperation and firmly adheres and confirms its commitment to Nile Cooperation and urged countries to complete ratification of the CFA.
Speaking on behalf of Hon. Jumaa H. Aweso, the Minister of Water, Tanzania, Hon Eng. Maryprisca Winfred Mahundi, the Deputy Minister for Water said that the CFA and the subsequent Nile River Basin Commission (NRBC) will not only allow for more equitable use of the Nile waters but will also deepen cooperation among riparian countries. Similar sentiments were echoed by Hon. Eng. Dr. Habtamu Itefa, Minister for Water and Energy of Ethiopia.