Old wine into new wineskins

 

BY WORKU BELACHEW

 

A 45-member Egyptian delegation led by Head of Diplomatic Institute Ambassador Alaa El-Hadeedy is said to have arrived in Addis Ababa to meet various key personalities which have direct and indirect engagement with the issue of the Nile Basin.

 

A matter of interest for this writer is, however, what special value would this delegation add into Nile politics, particularly the construction of the Ethiopian Grand Renaissance Dam (GERD) other than sophisticating, if at all they succeed, the unique opportunity created for cooperation among the basin nations as a result of the GERD construction. May be the delegation can have a good vacation in one of the capitals of the world with the highest altitudes.

 

But, one needs to see the writer's thesis with a kind heart, meaning this article has no intention to undermine discussions held between countries of the Nile Basin to resolve differences. Indeed, if there is a real interest to bring issues to table, the result is immense. And this is what we call “For African Problem, African Solution.”

 

Notwithstanding that, the previous track record of Egyptian delegates—who dealt with GERD— has left enough rooms to see the newly arrived delegation with suspicion, the writer believes. Frankly speaking, the other delegations were with too many cracks even within themselves. In the first place, apart from treating main issues they stood for, previous delegates served their personal interest. This could be, of course, intentionally to deter discussions into a wrong path and to confuse the international community. For instance, during the third round of talks the trio held in Khartoum in which representatives convened to discuss the implementation of recommendation given by the previous International Panel of Experts (IPoE) which studied the Dam's impact to downstream countries. (It is to be recalled that IPoE concluded as no significant threat on them.) But, the Egyptian delegate's seemed to have forgotten why they were in Khartoum. Members of the delegate were deliberately throwing irrelevant agendas to table such as discussing Cooperative Framework of Agreement (CFA) and hiring International Experts (IE). How can representatives of three countries, Ethiopia, Sudan and Egypt, discuss the already signed CFA. It is clearly indicated on the CFA's preamble as basin nations (10 Nations) has recognized the Nile River and its natural resources and environment as “the property of Nile Basin Nations.” This means only three countries cannot discuss and decide on the CFA and it was not also the right place to discuss it. No confusion, the delegate knew this hard fact but were trying to disturb the whole process. Again same delegation were tightly asking to hire an international expert's panel that oversees a trio panel of national experts knowing that matters which this trio would fail to resolve can be referred to respective water ministers and get decided.

 

Egyptian delegates including those in the IPoE who signed the consensus report of the study also championed in disseminating an unofficial and distorted versions of the report. They told their favourite media ill famed stories that may inflict conflict. We witnessed a lot after that including phrases like “all options are open”, “sabotaging Ethiopia”, the dam is “a threat to the Arab World”.... Such phrases are undoubtedly counter-productive for the Basin nations peace and security. But, it seems what they have preferred.

 

So, what their delegations were doing is just making campaigns after campaigns against the GERD Project and using every opportunity to mislead the international community, though failing to succeed. It is from this ground that this writer is questioning what sort of result would the current delegation can come up with. For sure, each member of the delegation will tell the world their own version of this visit- may be, masking the reality on the ground, when they go back to their country. For them, making fruitful discussion that is on the equitable usage of Nile waters is unconstitutional because they vote for maintaining Egypt's “historic rights'' which other basin nations, hopefully, perceive it as their “historic confusion”. It is an article which put discussion in friction than fruit. They closed their door twice to Nile basin countries, I believe, once when they refuse to sign the CFA and now when they proclaim their “historic confusion”. If is not too hyperbolic, they are leading their people with the mode of the oldest century risking their National Security on a matter out of their control.

 

Countries South of Egypt are aggressively working to pull millions of people out of poverty. And, no doubt, they exploit every resource within the reach of their boundary. Doing so is not a crime by anyone's standards indeed. And when it comes to cross border rivers and lakes, the customary law available is the Danube notion of posing no significant harm to downstream countries. Likewise, downstream countries should not also harm upstream countries putting impeding requisites like “historic rights”.... What abides both together is cooperation and equitable use of cross border rivers and lakes.

 

Let go camels while dogs bark

The true arena to discuss cooperation is first respecting all the basin Nations. It is repeatedly said that the dam has no significant threat to downstream countries. That is why Sudan is in good terms with Ethiopia. Egypt's “politicians” and “scholars” still pose threats to upstream nations with their old fashioned diplomacy. They are knocking every door loading same issues but with various delegations. Unless they bring something new that fosters cooperation, it is only wandering about countries. And putting old wine into new wineskins, it does nothing. Whatever the case is the dam's construction is over 30 percent complete. The pace is on acceleration. Ethiopia is in a point of no return. And Ethiopia is leaping forward to make its visions reality. Actually, Egyptian politicians and scholars will never fail campaigning against Ethiopia. This is not phenomenal. They were over doing it in the past with different approaches. But, World order has already changed. Now the thing is adjusting oneself to best fit in the new world order. That is what Ethiopia has championed and Egyptian politicians and scholars are failing repeatedly or get it hard to accept. 

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