The Impact of Water Politics on Regional Security: a Case Study of Nile Basin States
Abstract
Water politics has gained prime importance in the world as trans-boundary water
resources cover nearly half of the earth surface connecting many states. The Nile
basin is among the largest river basin in the world connecting several states. This
study proposes to examine the impact of water politics on regional security with a
focus on the Nile basin states. The study analyses the existing hydro-political
elements and investigates the achievements in terms of institutional cooperation in the
basin. The international and regional water problems are broadly analyzed. The study
is based on secondary data resources and related literature. The available sources are
analyzed through explanatory approaches. The findings, among others, have revealed
that weak agricultural economy, scarcity of water and relatively less favorable
political arena has hindered riparian states‟ cooperation in the Nile basin. The findings
further revealed that both Egypt and Sudan have continued to enjoy their
unchallenged rights over the use of the Nile River‟s water, as accorded to them in the
previous water agreements. This is quickly changing with the growing water demands
of the upstream riparian countries, which previously depended mainly on the rain fed
agricultural activities for their livelihood. These countries are requesting for their fair
share of the water. The study concludes that there appears to be prospects for more
cooperation. Riparian states of the Nile also have been struggling to bring cooperative
initiatives and they have been successful to some extent in negotiating their interest.
Publisher
University of Nairobi
Description
Thesis