Egypt’s President Abdel-Fattah El-Sisi is in Uganda for crucial talks on the use of the River Nile waters.
Sisi jetted into Entebbe Thursday morning for the Nile Basin Heads of State summit, one of several leaders who flew in for discussions on sharing River Nile that has divided the region for years.
Today’s meeting sought to ensure that all Nile states sign and ratify the Cooperative Framework Agreement (CFA), also known as the Entebbe Agreement.
Uganda, Ethiopia, Rwanda, Tanzania, and Kenya signed the framework on the use of the Nile waters in 2010 while Burundi signed it in 2011.
However Egypt and Sudan have to-date declined to sign the framework citing concerns about its reallocation of Nile water quotas and other provisions.
Egypt is reportedly suggesting a new document to manage the Nile waters, to be an alternative of the Entebbe Agreement.
According to local Egyptian newspaper Al-Shorouk, Egypt’s document will include the governing principles of managing the Nile River based on the international law of international rivers, such as the fair and equitable use of water and harmlessness.
President .@KagutaMuseveni meeting with Egyptian President Gen. Abdel Fattah el-Sisi, ahead of the Nile Basin Initiative summit. #NBSummitUG pic.twitter.com/Uvrub6G3lg
— State House Uganda (@StateHouseUg) June 22, 2017
Egypt’s El-Sisi spoke by phone with Uganda’s Museveni before travelling to Kampala, discussing the plans for the Nile Basin summit, the Egyptian presidency announced.
There was no indication however that an agreement had been reached at the end of the summit in Entebbe today, with President Museveni only outlining the importance of cooperation at a post-summit press briefing. Museveni then announced the next summit is now scheduled for Burundi, and did not take questions from the media.
***Additional reporting by APA news
RELATED
Industrialise to protect River Nile – Museveni #NBSummitUG https://t.co/hxDM0mYFAb pic.twitter.com/t6LHPLn31l
— The Independent (@UGIndependent) June 22, 2017
.@KagutaMuseveni outlines five key threats to the River Nile and other water bodies #NBSummitUG @nbiweb @UgandaMediaCent @Muyama pic.twitter.com/3fh8XmjCGY
— Nabusayi L. Wamboka (@lindahNabusayi) June 22, 2017
.@KagutaMuseveni says prosperity for Nile Basin countries is best way to protect River Nile & other water systems in Africa #NBSummitUG pic.twitter.com/E3o2tunhNA
— Nabusayi L. Wamboka (@lindahNabusayi) June 22, 2017
H.E @KagutaMuseveni appeals to all,2 put strategic common interests of the Nile 1st as opposed 2 individual country interests #NBSummitUG pic.twitter.com/RDgAXxs45U
— Frank K Tumwebaze,MP (@FrankTumwebazek) June 22, 2017
The next Nile Basin Heads of State Summit to take place in Burundi. #NBSummitUG pic.twitter.com/BBz14eWK0G
— Sarah Kyobe (@kyobesarah) June 22, 2017
#Egypt asks for more time to consult in River #Nile #water disagreement https://t.co/xHXmVj8TrF #NileBasin #CFA pic.twitter.com/oMojiHAg2f
— The Independent (@UGIndependent) March 28, 2017
MUSEVENI: The problem of Africa is not water but confusion, under-development https://t.co/sn0cx7V2j9 #RiverNile pic.twitter.com/2X1Mchd5Ad
— Louis Jadwong (@Jadwong) March 2, 2017
VIDEO