How the Nile Can Provide Life and Divide Nations | Part II

Summary

This video explores current initiatives surrounding the Nile River and the growing conflict between Egypt and Ethiopia over water resources. It highlights Egypt's projects, such as the Sadat Canal and the New Valley Project, aimed at expanding agricultural land. Additionally, it addresses Ethiopia's construction of the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam, which has raised concerns in Egypt over water supply due to potential evaporation and filling times. The video emphasizes the need for cooperation among Nile riparian nations to ensure sustainable water use amidst population growth and climate change.

Takeaways

• 🌊 The first video discussed the importance of the Nile for riparian nations, and this video focuses on new initiatives regarding its use, particularly a project causing conflict between Egypt and Ethiopia.
• 👨‍🌾 About two-thirds of Egypt's population lives in the Nile Delta, producing half of the country's agricultural output, but rising sea levels threaten to flood much of the area.
• 🚧 Egypt has been working on the Sadat Canal and Toshka Lakes to redirect Nile water, but evaporation has limited the success of these projects.
• 🏞️ The New Valley Project, proposed in 1968, aims to harness desert land for agriculture by connecting oases, with President El-Sisi resuming efforts to complete the initiative.
• 💡 Numerous dams exist along the Nile, including the Sennar, Roseires, and Merowe Dams in Sudan, contributing to irrigation and energy production.
• 🔌 Ethiopia's dam-building projects, like the Beles Hydroelectric Power Plant, have raised concerns in Egypt, which fears water access could be reduced.
• 🚧 The Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam, a major hydropower project, is the main source of tension, as its reservoir could take years to fill, potentially reducing water flow to Egypt and Sudan.
• 📜 Egypt references a 1959 Nile Water Agreement, claiming 66% of the Nile’s water, but upstream nations, which weren't part of this deal, argue for a fairer distribution.
• 💬 Despite ongoing negotiations, no agreement has been reached between Egypt and Ethiopia regarding the dam, with leaders emphasizing cooperation while tensions remain.
• 💧 As water shortages and climate challenges persist, Nile nations must explore options like seawater desalination, water reclamation, and efficient irrigation to address future needs.

Q & A

What is the main focus of the first video in this two-part series?

The first video focuses on the importance of the Nile River for its riparian nations.

Why is the Nile Delta region crucial for Egypt's population and agriculture?

About two-thirds of Egypt's population lives in the Nile Delta, and half of the country's agricultural production comes from this region.

What threat does climate change pose to the Nile Delta?

Rising sea levels caused by climate change could flood a significant portion of the Nile Delta, with a 1-meter rise potentially submerging over a quarter of the area.

What is the Sadat Canal, and what was its purpose?

The Sadat Canal was built in 1978 to redirect part of the Nile's water to the northwest plateau of Lake Nasser to reduce the population concentration and create more agricultural land.

What is the New Valley Project, and why was it initiated?

The New Valley Project, proposed in 1968 and revived in 1997, aims to harness land in Egypt's Western Desert by creating a second river course that connects oases for agricultural use.

Why did Egypt’s attempt to create new agricultural land using canals struggle to succeed?

The new agricultural areas require expensive irrigation systems, and the yield per area is lower than in the fertile Nile Valley.

What is the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam (GERD), and why is it a source of conflict between Egypt and Ethiopia?

The GERD is a major hydropower project in Ethiopia that threatens to reduce the Nile water flow to Egypt during its filling and operation, potentially impacting Egypt's water security.

What historical agreement governs the distribution of Nile water, and why is it controversial?

The 1956 Nile Water Agreement allocated 66% of the Nile's annual water volume to Egypt and 22% to Sudan, without involving other riparian nations where much of the Nile's water originates, which has led to disputes.

What concerns does Egypt have regarding Ethiopia's dam-building activities on the Nile?

Egypt fears that dams, like the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam, will reduce the amount of water flowing to Egypt, potentially creating a dependency on Ethiopia for water resources.

What solutions have been proposed to address water scarcity along the Nile?

Proposed solutions include building seawater desalination plants, water rationing, efficient irrigation methods such as drip irrigation, and improved cooperation among Nile nations to manage shared resources.

Outlines

00:00

🌍 The Importance of the Nile and Egypt's New Initiatives

The first video discussed the importance of the Nile for riparian nations. In this second part, the focus shifts to new projects involving the Nile, particularly Egypt's efforts to use the river to combat population density and create more agricultural land. The Sadat Canal project, started in 1978, redirects Nile water to the Toshka Lakes, though it has faced challenges due to high evaporation rates. This is part of Egypt's larger 'New Valley Project,' aiming to harness more land in the Western Desert by connecting oases. While some progress has been made, challenges such as expensive irrigation and lower yields persist.

05:03

🚧 Dams Along the Nile: Sudan and Ethiopia's Projects

Sudan and Ethiopia have undertaken significant dam projects along the Nile to improve irrigation and generate electricity. The Sennar, Roseires, and Merowe Dams in Sudan have greatly enhanced irrigation and energy production. Meanwhile, Ethiopia has built several dams since the 1990s, sparking criticism from Egypt, which fears becoming dependent on Ethiopia for water. The Beles Hydroelectric Power Plant, completed in 2010, and Ethiopia's massive Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam (GERD), currently under construction, are central to this tension. Egypt fears the GERD could restrict its water supply during the filling of the dam's reservoir, intensifying diplomatic disputes.

📝 The Nile Water Agreement and Regional Tensions

The Nile Water Agreement, signed between Egypt and Sudan after the UK's withdrawal in 1956, grants Egypt 66% and Sudan 22% of the Nile's annual water volume, leaving the remaining 12% lost to evaporation. Upstream nations, which were not included in the agreement despite contributing most of the Nile's water, formed a new agreement in 2010 seeking fairer distribution. Egypt and Sudan reject renegotiating the water distribution. Negotiations between Egypt and Ethiopia over the GERD have been ongoing for years, but no resolution has been reached. Former Egyptian President Mohamed Morsi even threatened war if Egypt's water supply was reduced.

🤝 Diplomacy and the Future of the Nile

Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed has stressed that Ethiopia has no intention of harming Egypt with the GERD, emphasizing a commitment to brotherhood and good neighborly relations. Egyptian President El-Sisi has also advocated for cooperation, but the two countries have yet to reach an agreement on the dam. While the differing interests make negotiations difficult, all Nile nations recognize the need for collaboration to address the region's water challenges. Potential solutions include seawater desalination, water reclamation, and more efficient irrigation methods to ensure a sustainable water supply for agriculture, industry, and households in the future.

Keywords

💡Nile River

The Nile River is the longest river in the world and is vital for the riparian nations of Egypt, Sudan, and Ethiopia. In the video, the Nile is described as crucial for Egypt, where two-thirds of the population and much of its agricultural production depend on the river. It also plays a central role in conflicts over water distribution and the construction of dams, such as the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam.

💡Climate Change

Climate change refers to long-term shifts in temperature and weather patterns, often caused by human activities. In the video, it is mentioned as a major threat to Egypt's Nile Delta, where rising sea levels could flood large parts of the region. The urgency of dealing with climate change is tied to the need for new water management initiatives in the Nile basin.

💡Sadat Canal

The Sadat Canal is a water diversion project initiated by Egypt in 1978 to address overpopulation and create new agricultural land by redirecting part of the Nile River's water. This canal plays a part in the New Valley Project, although its success has been limited by high evaporation rates and shrinking lakes.

💡New Valley Project

The New Valley Project is a large-scale Egyptian initiative aimed at creating new agricultural lands in the Western Desert by diverting Nile water to oases. Originally proposed in 1968, it has faced challenges due to high costs and low agricultural yield compared to the Nile Valley, but remains a key part of Egypt’s long-term water management strategy.

💡Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam (GERD)

The GERD is a massive hydroelectric dam being constructed by Ethiopia near its border with Sudan. The dam is controversial because Egypt fears it will reduce the amount of Nile water reaching its borders, potentially impacting its water security. Ethiopia, however, sees the project as essential for its energy needs and economic growth, highlighting a conflict over water rights in the region.

💡Water Distribution Agreement

This agreement refers to the 1959 Nile Water Agreement between Egypt and Sudan, which allocated 84 billion cubic meters of water from the Nile between the two countries. Egypt received 66% and Sudan 22%, leaving out upstream countries like Ethiopia. This outdated agreement has become a source of conflict as these countries, led by Ethiopia, demand a fairer distribution of the Nile's waters.

💡Hydroelectric Power

Hydroelectric power is electricity generated by the energy of moving water, often through dams. In the video, Ethiopia is building several dams, including the GERD, to increase its electricity generation capacity. This has led to tension with Egypt, which fears that water diversion for energy could limit its own water supply.

💡Irrigation

Irrigation refers to the artificial application of water to land to assist in the growing of crops. In the video, it is highlighted that Egypt and Sudan depend heavily on irrigation for agriculture, especially in the Gezira plain and the new agricultural lands created by projects like the Sheikh Zayed Canal. However, these systems can be costly and less efficient in new desert lands.

💡Seawater Desalination

Seawater desalination is the process of removing salt from seawater to make it usable for drinking and agriculture. The video mentions this as a potential solution for Egypt’s water shortages, though it is costly and not always environmentally sustainable. It is discussed as one of several initiatives to secure water in the Nile basin amidst population growth and climate change.

💡Abiy Ahmed

Abiy Ahmed is the current Prime Minister of Ethiopia and a key figure in the development of the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam. He has emphasized that Ethiopia does not wish to harm Egypt with the dam, and his government has positioned the project as vital for Ethiopia’s energy security. His role in this regional conflict is highlighted in the video, especially in his efforts to balance Ethiopia's needs with concerns from Egypt.

Highlights

The video focuses on new initiatives for using the Nile and highlights a project causing conflict between Egypt and Ethiopia.

Two-thirds of Egypt's population lives in the Nile Delta, and over half of the country's agricultural production comes from this area.

The Nile Delta is at risk of flooding due to climate change and rising sea levels, potentially submerging over a quarter of its area.

Egypt has plans to redirect part of the Nile, including the Sadat Canal project, started in 1978 to drain excess water into a plateau northwest of Lake Nasser.

The Toshka Lakes were created between 1998 and 2001 as part of this project, but have since shrunk due to high evaporation rates.

The New Valley Project, originally proposed in 1968, aims to create new agricultural land in the Western Desert by establishing a second river course connecting several oases.

The Sheikh Zayed Canal, initiated in 1997, was part of Egypt's plan to reclaim agricultural land, but only the first phase of construction was completed.

Ethiopia and Sudan have been building numerous dams along the Nile to support irrigation and energy production, sparking concerns in Egypt about water dependency.

The Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam (GERD) is a major source of tension, with Egypt fearing water shortages due to its filling and evaporation.

Egypt cites a 1956 agreement that grants it rights to 66% of the Nile's water and Sudan 22%, but other Nile riparian countries were not included in this agreement.

In 2010, upstream nations proposed a new agreement for fairer distribution of Nile water, which Egypt and Sudan rejected.

Despite negotiations over the GERD, Egypt and Ethiopia have not reached an agreement, with threats of conflict looming under former Egyptian President Mohamed Morsi.

Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed has emphasized peaceful intentions, affirming that Ethiopia does not wish to harm Egypt.

The construction of desalination plants and efficient water management strategies like drip irrigation could play a crucial role in addressing water shortages.

The future of Nile water usage will be a central issue for the region, given population growth and climate change challenges.

Transcripts

While in the first video of this two part series, we focused on the importance of the

Nile river for its riparian nations, in this video we would like to discuss new initiatives

for using the Nile and we will look at a project that is currently causing conflict between

Egypt and Ethiopia.

- Intro music -

As already mentioned in the first video, a large part of the population of Egypt lives

in the Nile Delta. About two-thirds of the Egyptian population lives here and about half

of the country's agricultural production is achieved here. Due to climate change and rising

sea levels, much of this area could be flooded. A sea level rise of 1 meter would result in

a flooding of more than a quarter of the area of ​​the Nile Delta.

In order to counteract the high concentration of the country’s population, as well as

to create more usable agricultural land, Egypt plans to redirect part of the Nile. In 1978,

the government started building the Sadat Canal. It allows high water levels to drain

into a plateau northwest of lake Nasser. Between 1998 and 2001 this lead to the creation of

the Toshka Lakes. The filling represents only a partial success.

Since the water here can not run off and the evaporation in this region is very high, these

two lakes have shrunk ever since.

But the filling is part of a much bigger venture: The New Valley Project. Originally proposed

in 1968 by then President Gamal Abdel Nasser, the idea was to harness new land in the Western

Desert by creating a second river course that connects several Oases.

In 1997, then Egyptian president Hosni Mubarak revived these plans and initiated the construction

of the Sheikh Zayed Canal, named such based on substantial financial support from the

United Arab Emirates. A huge pumping station was built at Lake Nasser, which pumps Nile

water into this canal. Because of the enormous cost and slow progress some people referred

to this project as Mubarak's pyramid. New agricultural areas were created. However,

this type of cultivation requires expensive irrigation systems. And the yield per area

is significantly lower than in the Nile Valley. As of today, only the first construction phase

was completed - so the canal doesn’t reach the first oasis. However, the current Egyptian

president El-Sisi announced that he would resume the project.

Meanwhile, there are a number of dams on the Nile, such as the 1925 completed Sennar Dam

in Sudan. It is used for the irrigation of the Gezira plain, between blue and white nile.

This is one of the largest irrigation projects in the world.

In 1966, the Roseires Dam was opened, which is now also being used for irrigation in this area

And in 2009, the Merowe Dam in the north of Sudan was finished, which is mainly used for

energy production.

In Ethiopia, especially since the 90s, more and more dams are being built to generate

electricity. However the Egyptian government heavily criticizes some of these projects.

For example, the Beles Hydroelectric Power Plant, completed in 2010, which was seen as a provocation.

Egypt’s concern is to get into a dependency, and the government fears getting their water

tap turned off by Ethiopia. But the main issue between both countries is this project: The

Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam, that is currently being built near Ethiopias border with Sudan.

With 6,000 megawatts, the connected hydropower plant will be the largest in Africa. With

this, the country's power generation capacity would more than double. Not only the electricity

supply of Ethiopia would be secured, but the country could even export energy.

The resulting reservoir will be one of the largest on the continent. Once this dam is

finished, it first has to be filled, which will probably take between 3 to 15 years.

Filling can be done either quickly, in which case there would be significantly less water

in Sudan and Egypt for this period, or slower, which is not in the interests of Ethiopia.

In addition, like any dam reservoir here, the resulting lake will lead to large amounts

of water evaporating. Therefore, Egypt fears that Dam will reduce the amount of water and

is strictly against the project.

In their opposition the Egypt government refers to an agreement that governs the distribution

of the Nile water. After the United Kingdom withdrew from Egypt and Sudan in 1956, both

countries reached the Nile Water Agreement. It states, that of the annual water volume

of estimated 84 billion cubic meters, Egypt holds rights to 66% and Sudan 22%. Back then

it was estimated that the remaining 12% will be lost through evaporation. The other riparian

nations were not even mentioned in the agreement, even though most Nile Water originates there.

In May 2010, these upstream nations formed an agreement for a fairer distribution of

Nile water. Both Egypt and Sudan refuse to renegotiate their share of waters of the Nile.

For years, Egypt and Ethiopia have been negotiating about the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam,

but they have not been able to come to an agreement.

Former Egyptian President Mohamed Morsi had

repeatedly threatened Ethiopia with war if the two countries don’t agree.

"If the Nile rivers water decreases by a single drop then our blood is the alternative"

The current Ethiopian Prime Minister, and 2019 Nobel Peace Prize laureate Abiy Ahmed, has

repeatedly affirmed that the Dam should not harm Egypt.

"I want to tell the Egyptian people that we Ethiopians abide to the principles of brotherhood and good neighbourhood"

"We fear god, therefore we have no desire to cause harm to the Egyptian people".

And Egyptian President El-Sisi is also in favor of cooperation

between the countries. However, they still were not able

to come to an agreement.

The different interests are difficult to reconcile, but at the same time, all Nile nations are

aware that cooperation is important in tackling water problems in the region. In order to

secure the water supply for agriculture, industry and private households, dams along the nile

are an important tool.

Proposed increase of seawater desalination plants could also play a role, but they are

very expensive and not necessarily environmentally friendly. similarly, rationing water consumption

could prove important. Especially suitable for this this is water

reclamation, as well as more efficient irrigation methods, for example trough the use of drip

irrigation.

Historically, the Nile has always played a crucial role in this region and it illustrates

the dependence of human societies on regenerative natural cycles. The usage of the nile in the

context of population growth and climate change are issues that will most likely be central

in the coming decades.