Prospects for Cooperation in the Nile Basin

Firehiwot Sintayehu ()
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Firehiwot Sintayehu: Addis Ababa University

Chapter Chapter 10 in Borders, Mobility, Regional Integration and Development, 2020, pp 127-144 from Springer

Abstract: Abstract The Nile Basin is among the complex cases in hydropolitics emanating from having numerous riparian countries and divergence of upstream–downstream interests. Eleven states share the waters of the Nile and each one with its own national interest. Upstream countries reflect and demand for their rights of utilizing the Nile waters in accordance with International Law principles while the downstream countries emphasize their historical rights to use the waters. The central argument of the chapter is that despite the lack of a legal framework, the prospects for cooperation in the Nile are evident because of economic, ecological, political and legal justifications. In economic terms, the benefits of cooperation outweigh those of conflict as both upstream and downstream states have their own comparative advantage of water use. Ecologically, the waters of the Nile are best protected as a basin rather than as individual riparian states. The political argument is that cooperation is more strategic than conflict while discussing relations among riparian states which can be explained through the existence of numerous diplomatic events rather than military confrontations. Moreover, International Law is gradually equipping riparian countries with the possibilities of utilizing their waters in a win-win manner.

Keywords: Hydropolitics; Nile Basin; Cooperation; Conflict (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2020
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Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:spr:aaechp:978-3-030-42890-7_10

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DOI: 10.1007/978-3-030-42890-7_10

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