The 10 Nile Basin countries have committed to make use of Nile water and other water resources in the Basin to meet various water demands, including in the area energy generation and trade, to spur regional economic growth.
They contend that the goals could be achieved through cooperation and partnerships.
The development follows talks involving more than 400 participants from member states and beyond who had convened for the fifth Nile Basin Development Forum in Kigali, which concluded on Wednesday.
By 2050, the population of the Nile Basin countries is projected to more than double, from around 400 million to one billion.
This issue, coupled with changes in the climate and the desired socio-economic transformation, will put even greater pressure on Nile Basin water resources, as an input for increased food and energy production as well as the growing population and economies will result in more water demand for domestic, and industrial use, according to information from Nile Basin Initiative (NBI).
Ethiopia is setting up a mega energy project — the Grand Renaissance Dam — at the Nile River, which the Minister of Water, Irrigation and Electricity for Ethiopia, Eng.
“If we don’t have energy, we can’t move the economy of the region,” he noted.
“We are discussing transmission lines that could generate up to 3,000 Megawatts, and connected to Egypt,” he said.
“These are real opportunities to integrate our energy systems,” he noted.
Prof. Seifeldin H. Abdalla, Chairman of Water Resources at the Ministry of Water Resources and Electricity in Sudan, said that climate change and degradation, especially in the high lands of Ethiopia, floods and droughts are among the challenges that affect the Basin.