Addis Ababa, October 1, 2024 (FBC) – Ethiopia, in the UN General Assembly, has encouraged Egypt to ratify the Cooperative Framework Agreement (CFA) on the Nile River that would return the country to peaceful conduct of its relations with the riparian states.
Ethiopia also urged the downstream country to choose the path of negotiation and international law as well as reorient its colonial-based policy on the Abay (Nile River).
Ethiopian Deputy Permanent Representative to the United Nations, delivered his country’s first right of reply to the unfounded accusation of Egypt against Ethiopia in its policy statement at the 79th Session of the UN General Assembly (UNGA79.)
The diplomat emphasized the importance of regional cooperation and development in managing the shared water resource.
Egypt is thus encouraged to ratify the CFA and play a constructive role in regional development, Ambassador Yoseph Kassaye stated.
“Egypt has the golden opportunity to return to peaceful conduct of its relations with the Nile River riparian states. Egypt is thus encouraged to ratify the CFA and play a constructive role in regional development,” he underlined.
Following his remarks in response to Egypt’s earlier statement, the Ambassador characterized it as a “categorical rejection of our efforts to ensure dignified life to our people.”
Ambassador Yosef reaffirmed Ethiopia’s commitment to the principles of equitable and reasonable utilization of the Nile’s waters, emphasizing the country’s right to use its natural resources for the benefit of its people.
“Ethiopia recognizes the river Nile is a transboundary water resource that must be used by all riparian countries based on the principle of equitable and reasonable utilization,” he said.
He further added that transboundary resources are also best managed based on basin-wide arrangements agreed to by riparian countries.
The diplomat highlighted the paradox in the Nile Basin, noting that Ethiopia, an upper riparian country that contributes 85 percent of the flow to the Nile, and the other eight source countries seek cooperation based on international law.
Meanwhile, “Egypt, the lower riparian country that contributes no flow to the resource, relentlessly works against cooperation and undermines international principles,” he underlined.
Ambassador Yosef called on Egypt to abandon what he termed as “colonial-based policy on the Nile” and instead work on integrated development on the basis of equity.
Stressing Ethiopia’s development efforts, including the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam (GERD), the Ambassador noted that those are crucial for alleviating poverty and bringing light to millions of Ethiopians deprived of such basic necessity.
“It is bringing integration to our region through energy, trade and connectivity,” the ambassador said, referring to the GERD project.
‘‘It (Egypt) advocates for monopoly based on colonial-era arrangements, seeks a veto over the water development efforts of the countries that originate the water,’’ he said.
Yosef reaffirmed Ethiopia’s commitment to continue pursuing its development on the river Abay on the basis of equitable and reasonable utilization of the resource.
‘‘It is our hope, through time, Egypt will reorient its colonial-based policy on the Nile and work on integrated development on the basis of equity,’’ he said.
More importantly, the old playbook that seeks to secure unfettered flow of the Nile by preoccupying the source countries with conflict and insurgencies will not work, he underscored.
On this basis, “Ethiopia calls on Egypt to immediately stop its destabilization efforts in the whole of Africa’’, he elaborated.
The ambassador concluded his speech with a call for negotiation and adherence to international law: “Time to negotiate and find a win-win solution is now. We urge Egypt to choose the path of negotiation and the path of international law.”
The coming months will be critical in determining whether Egypt heeds this call for collaboration and joins the CFA, potentially ushering in a new era of regional cooperation in the Nile Basin. ENA