Addis Abeba — Demeke Mekonnen, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs of Ethiopia, called on all the Nile Basin riparian states to "expedite the coming into force of" the Cooperative Framework Agreement (CFA). The CFA "outlines principles, rights and obligations for cooperative management and development of the Nile Basin water resources." The Nile river, which supplies livelihood to millions of people who live along its banks in Ethiopia alone, and accounts for two-thirds of the country's surface water, Demeke said. However, Nile River is "confronted with both man-made and natural issues that affect sustainable use of the river, exacerbate water stress in the region, and cause tensions over the utilization of the available water." In this regard, I would like to seize this opportunity to call on riparian states to expedite the coming into force of the CFA, which would undoubtedly address problems in a lasting manner, he added.

Source: Ethiopian News September 06, 2022 20:37 UTC