Table of Contents
- 1 How much of the Nile does Egypt own?
- 2 Why is there conflict over the Nile?
- 3 How did ancient Egypt control the Nile?
- 4 Who controls river Nile?
- 5 Who controls the Nile River?
- 6 Will Egypt use force against Ethiopia to control the Nile?
- 7 Which countries control the flow of the Nile River?
- 8 Why is Egypt so worried about the Nile River?
How much of the Nile does Egypt own?
Egypt relies on the Nile for 90\% of its water. It has historically asserted that having a stable flow of the Nile waters is a matter of survival in a country where water is scarce. A 1929 treaty (and a subsequent one in 1959) gave Egypt and Sudan rights to nearly all of the Nile waters.
Why is there conflict over the Nile?
Nile water dispute stems from filling of Ethiopian dam, decades of rising tensions. So far, despite international negotiations, there’s been little progress in the decadelong dispute. The crux of the controversy is Ethiopia’s $5 billion Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam, which is nearing completion at the Nile headwaters …
Which countries in the Nile basin have agreements over the use of the Nile?
The Khartoum declaration, which was signed by the heads of state of the three countries—Abdel Fattah al-Sisi (Egypt), Omar al-Bashir (Sudan), and Halemariam Desalegn (Ethiopia), has been referred to as a “Nile Agreement,” and one that helps resolve conflicts over the sharing of the waters of the Nile River.
How did ancient Egypt control the Nile?
For centuries, the Nile River flooded the valley, enriching the land with a thick layer of alluvial soil. Some degree of flood control has been practised since early times. River banks were raised and canals dug to funnel the water over the land.
Who controls river Nile?
Today, however, Ethiopia is building the Grand Renaissance Dam and, with it, Ethiopia will physically control the Blue Nile Gorge—the primary source of most of the Nile waters.
What are some of the conflicts happening between countries concerning Nile water?
Egypt’s extreme reliance on the Nile for its electricity, water and food security is the major source of conflict in the river basin. A tenth of Egypt’s electricity generation capacity comes from the Aswan Dam alone. Egypt already overdraws on its water allocation but is still extremely water scarce.
Who controls the Nile River?
Egypt
Egypt entirely controls the river’s flow from the moment it crosses the border from Sudan and is captured by the High Aswan dam, built by Egyptian president Gamal Abdel Nasser with Russian help in the 1960s. But Egypt’s control depends on what comes downstream, over which it has no control.
Will Egypt use force against Ethiopia to control the Nile?
Even Anwar el-Sadat, the president of Egypt in the 1980s, threatened the use of force. He stated that if Ethiopia takes any action to block our right to the Nile waters, there will be no alternative for us but to use force.
Why are Egypt and Ethiopia worried about the proposed dam?
Egypt also fears that the dam could restrict its already scarce supply of the Nile waters, which is almost the only water source for its citizens. It could also affect transport on the Nile in Egypt if the water level is too low and affect the livelihood of farmers who depend on the water for irrigation. Why does Ethiopia want such a big dam?
Which countries control the flow of the Nile River?
Built in the 1960s, the High Aswan dam allows Egypt to control the flow of the Nile. In May, five upstream Nile nations — Ethiopia, Uganda, Kenya, Tanzania and Rwanda — signed a treaty declaring their rights to a share of the river’s flow.
Why is Egypt so worried about the Nile River?
Egypt’s concern is understandable. Some 75 million of Egypt’s 80 million inhabitants live on the river’s delta and narrow river valley. The Nile is the lifeblood of Egypt. It irrigates the nation’s food and cash crops and generates its energy, and the river’s fish provide much of Egyptians’ protein.