Water Resources and Inter-Riparian Relations in the Nile Basin

Okbazghi Yohannes

Description

Human demand for water resources is rising at an alarming rate in response to rapid population growth, rival development requirements, and the depletion of ecological resources. In this book, Okbazghi Yohannes examines the various facets of the competition for water resources among the ten Nile River Basin countries as they compete to harness the river's resources for purposes of irrigation-based agriculture and hydropower-based industrialization. Through a careful investigation of the rival states' strategies to capture greater shares of water resources, Yohannes assesses the lasting impact on the watershed ecology in the basin and on the hydrological demand of the river itself. He proposes the formation of a radically different water regime to address the looming demographic crisis, the stark regional food insecurity, and the region's collapsing hydro-ecology. This book shows how the effort to construct a regional water regime cannot be separated from the necessity to construct an ecologically sustainable internal water regime in each co-basin state, particularly in terms of ecological resources conservation and ecosystem services protection.

Acknowledgments

1. Toward A Provisional Understanding

Framing the Challenges
The Political Challenge
The Demographic Challenge
The Economic Challenge
The Hydrological and Ecological Challenge
Urbanization, Pollution, and the Challenge of Clean Water
The Governance Challenge
The Neoliberalist Challenge
Conclusion

2. Egypt: Gift of the Nile

The Elusive Quest for Food Security and the Modernization Imperatives
After Modernization
The Puzzle

3. The Sudan: A Hydrographic Bridge?

The Beginnings
An Arab “Breadbasket”?
The Politics of Internal Governance
The Sudd and the Jonglei Canal: Twin Crimes Against Nature and Society
The Puzzle

4. Ethiopia: Land of the “Blue Gold”

The Hydrological Context
The Elusive Quest for Food Security and the Modernization
Imperatives
The Politics of Internal Governance
The Eritrean Dimension of the Nile Waters
The Puzzle

5. The Middle Nile “Squatters”: Kenya, Tanzania, and Uganda

The Historical Context
The Elusive Quest for Food Security and the Modernization
Imperatives
Aquatic Resources and the Search for More Food Security
The Puzzle

6. The Uppermost Riparian States: Rwanda, Burundi, and the Democratic Republic of Congo

Problematizing Watershed Integrity
The Ethnography of Hydrology and Food Security
The Puzzle

7. Thinking about the Future

Toward an Integrative Epistemology and Regional Authenticity
Toward a Nile Family of Nations
Toward Holistic Economies
Toward a Politics of Collective Self-Reliance
Conclusion

Notes
Bibliography
Index

Informations

• Publié par: State University of New York Press
• Date de parution: 01 janvier 2009
• Nombre de lectures: 0
• EAN13: 9780791478547
• Langue: English
• Poids de l'ouvrage: 1 Mo

Extrait

Water Resources and InterRiparian Relations in the Nile Basin

SUNY series in Global Politics

James N. Rosenau, editor

Water Resources and InterRiparian Relations in the Nile Basin

The Search for an Integrative Discourse

Okbazghi Yohannes

STATE UNIVERSITY OF NEW YORK PRESS

Nile River photo, courtesy of Karen Miller / iStockphoto

Published by State University of New York Press, Albany

© 2008 State University of New York

All rights reserved

Printed in the United States of America

No part of this book may be used or reproduced in any manner whatsoever without written permission. No part of this book may be stored in a retrieval system or transmitted in any form or by any means including electronic, electrostatic, magnetic tape, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise without the prior permission in writing of the publisher.

For information, address State University of New York Press, Albany, NY www.sunypress.edu

Production by Kelli W. LeRoux Marketing by Michael Campochiaro

Library of Congress CataloginginPublication Data

Yohannes, Okbazghi. Water resources and inter-riparian relations in the Nile basin : the search for an integrative discourse / Okbazghi Yohannes. p. cm. — (SUNY series in global politics) Includes bibliographical references and index. ISBN 978-0-7914-7431-0 (hardcover : alk. paper) 1. Water-supply— Nile River Watershed—Management. 2. Water supply—Political aspects— Nile River Watershed. 3. Nile River Watershed—Environmental conditions. 4. Regional planning—Nile River Watershed Region. 5. Riparian areas— Political aspects—Africa. 6. Food supply—Africa. I. Title.

HD1699.A3512N559 333.9100962—dc22

2008

10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1

2007035472

In memory of

Carolyn Garner, who devoted her entire life here on earth in service to others,

and

my mother, Wozr Tesfaghiorghis, who taught me the art of patience

This page intentionally left blank.

Acknowledgments

Contents



Chapter One. Toward A Provisional Understanding Framing the Challenges The Political Challenge The Demographic Challenge The Economic Challenge The Hydrological and Ecological Challenge Urbanization, Pollution, and the Challenge of Clean Water The Governance Challenge The Neoliberalist Challenge Conclusion

Chapter Two. Egypt: Gift of the Nile The Elusive Quest for Food Security and the Modernization Imperatives After Modernization The Puzzle

Chapter Three. The Sudan: A Hydrographic Bridge? The Beginnings An Arab “Breadbasket”? The Politics of Internal Governance The Sudd and the Jonglei Canal: Twin Crimes Against Nature and Society The Puzzle

vii

ix

1 1 5 7 12 16 22 25 28 31

33

34 46 53

57 57 59 65

71 75

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Contents

Chapter Four. Ethiopia: Land of the “Blue Gold” The Hydrological Context The Elusive Quest for Food Security and the Modernization Imperatives The Politics of Internal Governance The Eritrean Dimension of the Nile Waters The Puzzle

Chapter Five. The Middle Nile “Squatters”: Kenya, Tanzania, and Uganda The Historical Context The Elusive Quest for Food Security and the Modernization Imperatives Aquatic Resources and the Search for More Food Security The Puzzle

Chapter Six. The Uppermost Riparian States: Rwanda, Burundi, and the Democratic Republic of Congo Problematizing Watershed Integrity The Ethnography of Hydrology and Food Security The Puzzle

Chapter Seven. Thinking about the Future Toward an Integrative Epistemology and Regional Authenticity Toward a Nile Family of Nations Toward Holistic Economies Toward a Politics of Collective Self-Reliance Conclusion

Notes Bibliography Index Other books in the SUNY series in Global Politics

79 79

82 88 93 96

101 101

103 126 140

145 145 147 160

163 164 178 181 188 199

201 219 241 ???

Acknowledgments



This book was conceived almost thirty years ago, when I floated in a walk- ing steamer on the White Nile for sixteen days from the river port of Koasti in middle Sudan to Juba in the southern part of the country. My en- counter with the river and its environs, as well as the indigenous commu- nities who depended—and who still depend—on this life-giving river left a memory so indelible that I have always wanted to write about my experi- ence and more. However, my desire to write about the river and the river- ine people had in the meantime been eclipsed by other social priorities until the growing ecological degradation, economic stagnation and politi- cal turmoils taking place throughout the Nile basin grabbed my attention and finally made postponement of my research project impossible. In writing this book, I have stood on the shoulders of countless re- searchers and writers, who explored, studied, analyzed and documented the manifold features of the Nile system, ranging from its watershed ecol- ogy to its hydrology, ethnography, politics and economy. For all that, I remain in their debt. My special thanks go to Dean James Hudson, who generously helped me to secure the seed grant to begin the research proj- ect. Dewey Clayton also played an important role in securing this grant, and for that, I am grateful to him. I have also immensely depended upon the steadfast support, insight and inspiration of many colleagues and friends both within and outside my home university. Charles Ziegler, Chair of my home department, has always been prodigious in his guidance, encouragement and support. I am grateful to Ron Vogel for his always sharp and critical insight, friend- ship and counsel. I have handsomely benefited from the hydrological ex- pertise of Yohannes Woldemariam of Fort Lewis College in Durango, Colorado, for which I remain in his debt. My special thanks also go to Mary Ann and Robert Ziegenfuse, Kibrom Yohannes and Kinfu Addisu for their support and insights.

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