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The Nile Basin Cooperative Framework Agreement (CFA) is poised to come into effect on October 6, 2024, following South Sudan’s recent ratification on July 8, 2024. This crucial step marks the sixth and final ratification needed for the agreement’s activation, triggering a 60-day countdown to its formal implementation.
The CFA ratification process was first initiated by Ethiopia in June 2013. It was quickly followed by Rwanda in August 2013. Tanzania, Uganda, and Burundi subsequently joined in 2015, 2019, and 2023, respectively. South Sudan’s approval in July 2024 completed the required six ratifications.
Kenya, an original signatory, has yet to ratify the CFA, despite its initial endorsement.
Upon its enforcement, the CFA will establish the Nile Basin Commission, endowed with expanded authority and global recognition. This commission is set to resolve longstanding disputes over colonial-era treaties concerning the Nile, significantly influencing the future management of the Nile River Basin.
Modeled after the UN Convention on the Law of the Non-navigational Uses of International Watercourses, which came into force in 2014 and is supported by over 100 countries, the CFA aims to ensure equitable utilization of Nile waters among the basin countries.
The impending enforcement of the CFA marks a milestone in regional cooperation and governance of one of Africa’s most vital water resources, promising significant implications for the socio-economic development and environmental sustainability of the Nile Basin region.
The Nile Basin Cooperative Framework Agreement (CFA) is an international treaty among Nile River basin countries aimed at ensuring fair and equitable utilization of the Nile’s waters. It establishes a legal framework for cooperative management, resolving disputes over water sharing, and promoting sustainable development across the region. It was initially prompted by disputes over Nile water sharing between Egypt and Ethiopia, particularly with the latter’s complaint about historical unfairness, that allowed Egypt to control much of the river due to colonial era agreements that it was not party to.
