Cairo scrambles to restart Entebbe negotiations
The latest developments relating to the Entebbe Agreement underscore the disputes surrounding the controversial pact, such as its importance in terms of guaranteeing Egypt’s right to the Nile water and its impact on international relations.
CAIRO — June 4 is the scheduled date for the Nile Basin Water Ministers meeting in Arusha, Tanzania, which Egyptians view as Cairo’s last chance to reopen negotiations with Nile basin countries concerning contentious issues relating to the new Entebbe Agreement before its ratification and final implementation. The agreement provides for the establishment of a commission tasked with managing usufruct of the Nile water. The agreement’s entry into force remains dependent upon its ratification by six parliaments of Nile Basin Initiative (NBI) member states.
All NBI member states are expected to attend the meeting in Arusha — Ethiopia, Uganda, Kenya, Tanzania, Rwanda, Burundi, Democratic Republic of Congo, Egypt, Sudan and South Sudan — plus Eritrea, which has NBI observer status.
