A senior EU envoy urged seven countries to settle differences with Egypt and Sudan over the sharing of Nile waters and refrain from signing a new deal on their own.
Marc Franco, head of European Union delegation in Egypt, made this the appeal as Burundi, DR Congo, Ethiopia, Kenya, Rwanda, Tanzania and Uganda were expected to sign today a new Nile water-sharing agreement.The new deal would replace a 1959 arrangement between Egypt and Sudan that gives them control over 90 percent of the Nile water flow.
Mr. Franco said a separate deal would worsen the political problems.
He urged all countries concerned to see what can be done to find a compromise.
The seven upstream countries have been negotiating for years with Egypt and Sudan a more balanced Nile water’s share but the two countries do not want to give up what they call historic rights.