World Bank to intervene in Nile Basin dispute
By Julius N. Uma
July 5, 2010 (JUBA) — The World Bank is working tirelessly to ensure that the ongoing conflict between members of the Nile Basin Initiative (NBI) countries are amicably resolved, Mr. Lawrence Clarke, the World Bank Country Director for Southern Sudan revealed on Sunday.
Already, tension is mounting between Sudan, Egypt on one side and other Nile Basin countries following counter-accusations of alleged violations in an agreement that binds its members.
Consequently, Sudan froze its NBI membership and threatened to pull out of the initiative; a move that could simmer a diplomatic row.
However, asked to comment on what the World Bank was doing to address the ongoing rift between Sudan and Egypt, Mr. Clark told stakeholders attending a one-day consultation meeting that all mechanisms were in place to amicably resolve the disputes.
“The [World Bank] WB is working very closely with the Nile Basin Initiative countries to amicably resolve the existing conflict mainly arising from violations in agreements,” the World Bank Southern Sudan Country Director told participants attending the Juba event.
In a related development, the participants, drawn from various sectors urged the World Bank to help African countries in efforts to combat climate change threats, through improving intra-African trade, fostering regional remedies for infrastructure like energy and other social protection mechanisms, stakeholders attending a one-day consultation resolved on Sunday.
Also cited as alarming were the high rates of child and maternal mortality, deaths caused by Malaria and HIV/Aids, all of which are among the much-publicized Millennium Development Goals (MDGs), expected to be achieved by 2015.
As such, the multi-lateral financial institution was challenged to institute and foster social protection mechanisms aimed at protecting the most vulnerable Africans from these identified economic and social shocks.
The one-day meeting, held at the World Bank premises was a follow-up of an earlier regional consultation, which took place in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, as part of the bank’s renewed strategy for Africa.
During the Addis Ababa meeting, however, issues like job creation, skills development, small and medium enterprise development and the need to fight brain [drain] emerged as Africa’s main challenges in terms of ranking.
Interestingly, albeit perhaps not to surprise of many, issues such as the urgent need to fight corruption, improve the environment and combat climate change effects came bottom of Africa’s lists of challenges that the World Bank was to address.
(ST)
Aduol Liet
World Bank to intervene in Nile Basin dispute
The Old agreement still follow by Egyptian not working.
Egypt people are actual benefit a lots than any members of the Nile Countries and one they need to know is that, this is 21st century and each Nile member need to use that water instead of waiting raining period and some time there is no rain happen and people did face food shortage all the times. According to my observation far a way seem to me that, Egypian president is the next threat to either one of those Nile Countries and they are wrong the Old British agreement in the 1800s is not working any more because very nation in the Eastern Africa need to use this watering for their crops to benefit on it. The River Nile is going to be use by Southern Sudanese for their development and they must understand that, those Countries from NB members have every rights to tell Egypt the Old agreement must be renew.
Another things also Egypian people should have learn is that, honest, respectful, sincerely, and be friendly are they really key elements of solving NB problems, but if they are trying to say, they will threaten any one of these eight nations perhaps, the population of Egyptian will be surprise when the shortage of watering has reach them in there but why not solving just by peaceful mean.?
Deng Thiak Adut
World Bank to intervene in Nile Basin dispute
Any fairminded individual could come to rested that World Bank (WB)is responsible for war, death, disease and much more in Africa. By interventing in this so called conflict, mean that WB is only reacting because African are fed-up and said enough is enough. Who does not want development among these NB countries? who does not want to stopped poverty among these states? Egypt of course does not care for any convenience or suffering of African Child. World Bank is wasting its time and there no lawful consideration in its intervention. Bribery will not help or will stopped this legal document at any cost……