In this era of globalization, the only way out of poverty and backwardness is through collaboration to develop the resources at hand. Africa, the owner of untapped natural resources, still struggles to emerge from poverty due to a lack of internal peace and coordination with other countries on the continent.
Many governments in Africa are attempting to change this reality, but working independently is ineffective. Instead of coordinating with other countries in the continent, they seek assistance from international institutions to develop their resources. However, most international organizations that come to Africa aim to exploit the continent’s resources with limited local involvement, falling short of African countries’ expectations.
African countries lack the capacity to exploit their own resources for the benefit of their people. While some attempt to develop their resources with foreign assistance, the cost often exceeds their financial capabilities. As a result, African countries end up relying on well-developed countries for loans and grants, which come with political and economic obligations.
Ethiopia, a country of over 120 million people, is one of the African countries going through this process. Despite facing challenges, Ethiopia has maintained its sovereignty and not succumbed to foreign pressures.
When Ethiopia began the construction of the Grand Renaissance Dam, it lacked the human and financial capital to complete the project. AS the country cannot obtain loan from international lenders or donors due to opposition by the lower riparian countries, Ethiopia was left with the only option of raising money from the grassroots.
Although the public contributed significantly to the dam project, downstream countries posed obstacles citing colonial water agreements. In order to respond to this question, it is imperative to recall the background history of the colonial agreement. In 1880, European countries, as per the agreement made to segregate Africa, Italians forces invaded Ethiopia following the disagreement between the two countries in relation to the Wuchale agreement.
Accordingly, the Italian version says Ethiopia had no authority to communicate with other countries without the consent of Italy. When Emperor Menelik II of Ethiopia understood the spirit of the letter written in Italian language, he implored Italy to approve it. But, things were not changed, and the emperor decided to engage in war with Italy and end the war in victory.
In 1890, Great Britain prepared a proclamation to fulfill its interest in being influential over the Nile River. Before Ethiopia revived from the war of Adowa, the British government came up with another agenda. In 1902, they prepared an agreement which had five articles to force Ethiopia to sign the wrong agreement through its representative. Especially, article three of the agreement said no one should work on any project on the Nile River without requesting the consent of the British.
Apart from this, in 1929, the British made an agreement with Egypt representing Uganda and Kenya, which were under its colony. Repeatedly said, this is the agreement that marginalized Ethiopia. Accordingly, Egypt has a 48 billion cubic meter Nile water share while Sudan has only four billion cubic meters. This agreement surprisingly gave Egypt the right to control Nile tributaries. Ethiopia has not recognized this unfair agreement.
The third agreement was made between Sudan and Egypt in 1959. This agreement raised the water quota of Egypt and Sudan to 55.5 billion cubic meters and 18.5 billion cubic meters respectively. This agreement also marginalized Ethiopia. The basis for all these agreements is British.
Ethiopia engaged in diplomatic efforts to address these challenges and eventually reached agreements with Nile riparian countries to equitably use the Nile waters. The Nile River Basin Cooperative Framework Agreement came into effect on October 13, 2024, establishing the Nile River Basin Commission to oversee the shared water resources.
Ethiopia asserts its autonomous right to utilize rivers, including the Abbay, while acknowledging the dependence of downstream nations on Nile waters. This recognition has led Ethiopia to advocate for the principle of equitable and fair utilization of these waters. International law governs the relationships between nations and has evolved since the 17th century to address non-navigational uses of international watercourses, initially granting states absolute rights over water within their territories. However, as the implications for downstream countries became evident, the law adapted to include concepts of fair utilization.
The Cooperative Framework Agreement (CFA) aims to rectify historical injustices and promote equitable use of Nile waters, fostering mutual understanding and shared responsibility among Nile Basin States. Ethiopia believes that the CFA will benefit all basin countries and lead to a sustainable future. Currently, six out of eleven countries have ratified the CFA, which emphasizes the importance of collective action for economic integration. Ethiopia maintains that fair and equitable use of Abbay waters can meet its needs while encouraging all Nile Basin countries to ratify the CFA for mutual benefit. Unity among these nations is seen as essential for strength and effectiveness in managing shared resources.
Editor’s Note: The views entertained in this article do not necessarily reflect the stance of The Ethiopian Herald
BY GIRMACHEW GASHAW
THE ETHIOPIAN HERALD THURSDAY 17 OCTOBER 2024
