Research Fellow, Desert Research Monitoring and Control Center, Yobe State University, Damaturu
Online published on 8 August, 2018.
The Nile River is the longest river in the world. The River run through nine Nations states; Burundi Egypt, Democratic republic of Congo, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Kenya, Rwanda, Sudan, Tanzania and Uganda. The conflict arising is due to the 1959 agreement which gives Egypt the largest share of the river flow. Due to the increase in population growth, the demand for food is increasing in the other riparian countries therefore leading to governments seeking for a review of the agreement. The political relation has in a way provided a means of negotiation between the Nile countries. This to an extend leads to the Nile Basin Initiative (NBI). The overview of agreements shows attempts by countries to assert sovereignty or at least control over the access to the waters of the Nile, largely through bilateral agreements. The current challenge lies in moving away from bilaterism towards shared management of all riparian countries.
