MISSION NOT YET ACCOMPLISHED: MANAGING WATER RESOURCES IN THE NILE RIVER BASIN

iver runoff is widely accepted as one of the most important sources of avaiablefresh water for human consumption. Worldwide, there are 263 major riversystems that cross national boundaries and are responsible for 85 percent of theearth's runoff.' When two or more countries are dependent on the same riversystem, upstream withdrawal, pollution or management can lead not only toupstream-downstream conflict but also to cooperation. In recent years, policymakingand research communities have been engaged in exploring various means to transformconflict into riparian cooperation in these international river basins. The followinganalysis explores this notion through a closer look at the Nile River, which has longbeen considered the longest international river in the world. Many analysts haveconsidered that the Nile River has a high potential to induce interstate conflict.^ Atleast for the greater part of the 20th century, the Nile River has been the source ofpolitical tension among three of its major riparian countries—Egypt, Sudan andEthiopia. In the face of potential armed conflict and regional instability, the Nilebasin countries, in cooperation with the international community, have recentlybegun working for basin-wide cooperative solutions. The main aim of this paper is tosuggest policy measures that riparian countries, as well as the international community,might be in a position to adopt, which could further reduce tension over scarce waterresources and facilitating effective and lasting cooperation in the Nile basin. It iscrucial not only for the region, but also for global peace and development, to achievesuccess in bringing the countries together in the basin for efficient benefit sharing ofresources of this important river.THE NILE RIVER BASINIt is essential to first comprehend the economic and political role of the NileRiver and its role in the development of the entire region. The White Nile and BlueNile are two of its main tributaries. From Lake Victoria in east central Africa, the