A New 'Water War' Erupting between Egypt, Sudan and Ethiopia?



Today I read this news article on BBC regarding the controversy of a possible new River Nile Dam. It is currently being built by Ethiopia, as they want to become a middle-income country. They need to get in before they start transforming the country, and they want to do this by building a dam and collecting the water from the River Nile. 

 When the dam is complete, Ethiopia will be able to control the flow of the water and Egypt is worried that there will be no more water supply once the dam has been completed because most of the population relies entirely on the water from the River Nile. 

 Sudan sides with Ethiopia as they think it's a great benefit to the downstream countries which also don't have a source for energy.  

 'It's not about control of the flow, but providing opportunity for us to develop ourselves through energy development. It has a lot of benefit for the downstream countries.' - Seleshi Bekele Sudan's Minister for Water, Irrigation and Electricity

 By building the dam, it will also help regulate the water levels in Sudan, which for the past few years, have been very unstable. 

 'It's the best thing that's happened for a long time and I think the combination of energy and regular water levels is a great blessing.' - Osama Daoud Abdellatif, the owner of the Dal Group which runs farms and irrigation projects.

 Without the water, Egypt will probably suffer water shortages in 2025, states the UN. Egypt's minister of water resources and irrigation, Mohamed Abdel Aty, disagrees strongly and is furious about it. He states that even if they lose 2% of water, they will lose 200,000 acres of land; and one acre is just enough for one Egyptian family to live (an average Egyptian family is two parents and 3 children); so this means that about 1 million Egyptians will be jobless. People need water in their everyday lives to do many things such as taking a shower, cooking food, growing plants, without the water none to very few people will be able to survive. 

 According to the UN, everyone has a right to an adequate standard of living which includes living a healthy and comfortable life; but without water not many people will be able to do so. Everyone also has a right to have a job, but if the water is taken away, this will also not be possible.

 The dam is already two thirds built after five years of construction and will be completed very soon. Egypt can't do anything about it and have no choice but to take military action if they really want Ethiopia to stop the process of building.

 In my opinion, I believe that both parties have their own reasons to do what they want to do but sometimes I think that they need to think for other countries well-being and have some empathy for them. They should also try thinking of the rights that they are violating. I think the most "fair" way to sort this dilemma out is for both countries to come up with an agreement and collaborate with each other so that both sides get what they want. They should do this instead of waiting for their patience to run out and let a war break out. 

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