Water Governance in the Nile Basin for Hydropower Development

Abstract

Water governance in the Nile basin and, in general, in Africa faces technical, social, environmental, economic, and political challenges. Power shortage is a factor in limiting development and growing food shortage. The Nile basin countries have an estimated 140,000 MW of hydropower potential, but a small fraction is exploited except for Egypt. Increasing population in the Nile basin countries is increasing the demand for water and power. By 2025, Burundi, Rwanda, Egypt, Ethiopia, and Kenya are projected to face shortage of per capita water availability (1,000 m3 per person per year). Nile countries are facing tremendous challenges with regard to food security, adapting to climate change, and shortage of energy. But, they are not yet able to settle legal and political disagreements on a proposed agreement for cooperation. Lack of water agreements that are timely, equitable, and acceptable by all riparian countries could result in constant conflict and mismanagement of the water resources of this transboundary river basin. There are several examples of best practices in governance of transboundary water resources.