African countries to renegotiate Nile water quotas with Egypt

almasryalyoum, April 12, 2011
In what seems to be a possible solution to the Nile water quotas dispute between Egypt and upstream Nile Basin countries, Water Resources Minister Hussein al-Atfy has announced an initiative by the African countries to renegotiate the Nile Basin Framework Agreement.

He said the initiative aims at allowing all people of Nile Basin countries to benefit from the water, and added that international arbitration would be Cairo’s last resort in dealing with this issue.

He also said the Framework Agreement signed by six Nile Basin countries did not state a redistribution of water quotas, which means it did not deprive Egypt of its rights to the water.

Also, Prime Minister Essam Sharaf, in a meeting with the Ethiopian ambassador, said he would visit Ethiopia soon in an attempt to turn a new page in bilateral relations.

Meanwhile, Assistant Wafd Party President Mostafa al-Guindi said Ugandan President Yuri Museveni called him to thank him for the warm media coverage of the Egyptian diplomatic delegation’s visit to Uganda last week.

Translated from the Arabic Edition