Following multiple consultations, South Sudan's national parliament ratified the Nile Basin Initiative's Cooperative Framework Agreement on Monday.
The minister of Justice and Constitutional Affairs, Ruben Madol, tabled the treaty to the august house for ratification on December 7, 2023, but since then, the house has not been able to ratify the treaty due several consultations.
Seven months later, the chairperson of the standing
specialized committee on water resources and irrigation, Hon. Gatluak Riek Jack
presented the committees’ report on the agreement and the August house
unanimously passed the agreement.
“The members of parliament have decided to rectify and endorse this agreement unanimously as a gift to the people of the Republic of South Sudan. How is it a gift? Because through this agreement, South Sudan now is free to embark on its infrastructural development by making use of the river Nile,” said Hon. Oliver Mori, spokesperson of the parliament.
The 11 principal countries in the Nile Basin include Ethiopia, Sudan, South Sudan, Egypt, Rwanda, Tanzania, Uganda, Burundi, the Democratic Republic of Congo, Eritrea, and Kenya.
The Nile Basin Treaty's Cooperative Framework Agreement (CFA) ensures the sustainable development of current and future generations by facilitating the integrated administration of Nile water resources.
It also seeks to establish the Nile River Basin Commission for regional cooperation, mandate regular data exchange among states, and require environmental impact assessments for significant projects, in addition to conserving and protecting the water resources of the Nile Basin.
Mori stated that the ratification of the treaty now put South Sudan in a better position to exploit the river Nile resources including power generation.
“It is going to be a bright future for the people of South Sudan. The electricity, we are complaining of cutting from time to time. By rectifying this agreement, South Sudan is going to embark on the river Nile to exploit those resources which can benefit the country,” Mori stated.
In May this year, the parliament said the ratification was delayed due to consultations.
In 2021, South Sudan stated that it was doing a study on the Nile Basin Initiative’s Cooperative Framework Agreement to understand its implications and benefits before deciding to ratify it.
Sudan and Egypt are opposed to the Nile Basin treaty due to the fact that it will alter the colonial-era Nile treaties, which currently prioritize their water rights.
