Egyptian Minister of Water Resources and Irrigation Hani Sewilam and Foreign Minister Badr Abdelatty with Ugandan President Yoweri Museveni and other high ranking officials pose for an image during their visit to the Ugandan capital Kampala. Photo courtesy of Egyptian Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
Egypt also has pledged to support development projects in the upstream nations, Uganda, as per a joint statement released by both nations following the conclusion of the second round of (2+2) ministerial consultations between Egyptian and Ugandan officials.
The consultation round was held in Entebbe on Monday and Tuesday.
Both nations also underscored their commitment to "win-win cooperation" and the importance of avoiding significant harm to the Nile River.
They also agreed to hold regular consultations on Nile water management, to reach a cooperative agreement that adheres to international law, according to the statement.
The commitment aligns with a new financing mechanism approved by the Egyptian cabinet last year. The mechanism aims to strengthen Egypt’s African ties, particularly the Nile Basin countries, as being a strategic depth for Egypt.
Egypt’s commitment to support Uganda’s projects is based on successful collaborations in the Owen Dam and the Water Weed Control Project in Uganda, the statement noted.
Meanwhile, Egypt, the statement noted, welcomed the "constructive engagement" in the Nile Basin Initiative's (NBI) Ad Hoc Committee, which is currently presided over by Uganda.
The committee engages with NBI countries that have not yet ratified the Cooperative Framework Agreement (CFA), also known as the "Entebbe Agreement."
Egypt froze its full participation in the NBI in 2010 due to disagreements over the CFA, which contains three controversial items that Egypt rejects, including a provision on water security.
"The two parties look forward to the continuation of the Nile Basin Initiative's consultative process to restore comprehensive participation and achieve win-win cooperation among the Nile Basin countries," the Egyptian-Ugandan statement said.
An Egyptian delegation, led by Minister of Water Resources and Irrigation Hani Sewilam and Foreign Minister Badr Abdelatty, participated in the (2+2) consultations.
In a side meeting with Ugandan President Yoweri Museveni on Monday, Minister Abdelatty underscored that Cairo will take all necessary measures guaranteed under international law to protect its water security.
“The Nile River is an existential issue for Egypt,” Abdelatty stated.
Abdelatty’s comments come as Ethiopia plans to inaugurate its disputed dam – built on the Nile River and known as GERD – in September despite a lack of agreement with downstream countries, Egypt and Sudan.
Cairo and Khartoum, while not opposed to Ethiopia’s development aims, have repeatedly criticized Addis Ababa’s unilateral actions after it filled the dam in five stages between 2020 and 2024
Elevated Bilateral Cooperation
According to the joint statement, Egypt and Uganda have agreed to intensify high-level exchanges, including ministerial and summit visits, as well as enhance bilateral cooperation in defence, security, law enforcement, peacebuilding, and counter-terrorism.
This includes exchanging expertise and providing technical cooperation on water resources management and capacity building, the statement clarified.
Such commitment will be coordinated via bodies from both nations, such as the Egyptian Agency for Partnership for Development and the Cairo International Centre for Conflict Resolution, Peacekeeping, and Peacebuilding, as well as the Egyptian Diplomatic Institute and Uganda’s National Defence and Diplomatic Colleges.
Furthermore, both nations will encourage their private sectors to boost bilateral trade and investment by organising trade visits, promoting investment, and holding forums to explore new opportunities.
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