In a new Egyptian initiative, aimed at strengthening its partnership and relations with the Nile River Basin countries, and deepening cooperation and its presence in the region, the Egyptian government announced the start of taking executive steps to launch an “investment fund for the Nile River Basin countries” to enhance joint cooperation by establishing projects that benefit The Nile Basin Investment Fund initiative, under presidential directives, comes as a new Egyptian initiative that integrates with Egyptian policy towards Africa in general and the Nile Basin countries, with which Cairo has common vital interests, the most important of which is the water security link, which is based on The principles of enhancing cooperation and partnership in development, through joint projects, in which experiences are exchanged and the capabilities of each country are invested, in a path that strengthens “development diplomacy” and is one of the tools of “Egyptian soft power.” In the region.
This new fund is added to a group of paths taken by the Egyptian state, to enhance its cooperation with African countries, the Nile Basin countries at the heart of them, especially the efforts provided by the Egyptian Agency for Partnership for Development, affiliated with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. , which is concerned with providing technical support, aid and transferring Egyptian expertise to our brothers in Africa.
The Egyptian government announced the investment fund initiative, at a time when the Ethiopian government was continuing its unilateral actions that reinforce division and division, by claiming the entry of the so-called “Framework Agreement for the Nile Basin Countries” Known as the Entebbe Agreement, it entered into force, a step rejected by Egypt and Sudan, who stressed that it does not represent or express the Nile Basin countries.
3 sources of financing
The Egyptian Council of Ministers, during its meeting last week, approved a proposal for an investment financing mechanism in the Nile Basin countries, with the aim of supporting development projects in the Nile Basin countries, and the Egyptian Foreign Minister, Dr. Badr Abdel, revealed Al-Ati revealed the details of establishing the “Nile Basin Investment Fund,” during a meeting with Dr. Mostafa Madbouly last week, where he indicated “beginning to take the necessary steps to implement, President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi’s directives, to establish the investment fund.”
p>He said: The Fund aims to achieve development on the basis of participation and cooperation between Egypt and its brothers in the Nile Basin countries, indicating that the Fund aims to enhance investment in development projects and infrastructure projects in the Nile Basin countries, provided that this is done in accordance with sound economic standards to enhance The chances of success of these projects and attracting foreign funding.
Abdel Aty explained that the fund will rely on three sources of funding in its financing, which is the Egyptian state budget, the partnership with the Egyptian private sector, and the partnership with the brothers in the Nile Basin countries, and the continent’s partners. African countries and regional and international organizations, stressing in this context that Egypt looks forward to the partners of the African continent directing part of their investment pledges in Africa through this fund.
The investment fund initiative is integrated with the efforts of the Egyptian Agency for Partnership for Development, which is affiliated with it. To the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Minister of Foreign Affairs referred to “the agency’s efforts to support development projects in the Nile Basin, by sending experts and medical convoys to sisterly African countries, as well as building hospitals and medical departments in a number of African hospitals, in a way that meets the needs of African countries.” p>
Supporting development projects
This week witnessed a series of government meetings in Egypt, which discussed many paths of action towards strengthening Egyptian partnerships with the Nile Basin countries. Among those important meetings was the meeting of the committee concerned with strengthening Egyptian-African relations, headed by Dr. Mostafa Madbouly, Prime Minister, which confirmed the priorities of Egyptian-African relations.
During the meeting, the Minister of Foreign Affairs confirmed that “Egypt supports various development projects in the countries of the continent, including the Nile Basin countries.” He pointed to the activity of Egyptian companies in Africa and the good reputation they enjoy, in addition to the opportunities available to Egypt for investment and partnership with African countries in the field of agriculture. He also stressed Egypt’s interest in activating the role of the African Space Agency, which hosts its headquarters.
A number of ministers and officials reviewed efforts to strengthen Egyptian relations with the Nile Basin countries in various fields, as the Minister of Irrigation, Dr. Hani Sweilem, referred to “strengthening cooperation with African countries such as Kenya and the Democratic Republic of the Congo,” and the Minister of Transport and Industry, Lieutenant General Kamel Al-Wazir, spoke about “ “Cooperation with Tanzania and Rwanda, to implement a number of logistical zones, for cooperation in the field of transportation.” The Prime Minister directed the preparation of a list of development projects that are a priority for African countries, so that they can be followed up and worked on implementing them. He also stressed the importance of developing Egyptian development work in Africa during the coming period. And developing the Egyptian development strategy in Africa, in a way that meets the needs of sister African countries in the field of development.
Rejecting the Entebbe Agreement coincided with the announcement of the initiative to establish an investment fund in the Nile Basin countries. With new unilateral Ethiopian moves, they increase the state of division between the river countries, especially after Addis Ababa announced the activation of the so-called (Entebbe Agreement), despite the fact that only 6 Nile Basin countries, out of 11 countries, ratified it, which was rejected by Egypt. and Sudan, and stressed that the agreement does not represent the “Nile Basin”.
The Egyptian message was clear, rejecting this measure, in the words of Prime Minister Dr. Mostafa Madbouly, in his speech at the opening of Cairo Water Week, last week, when he affirmed The “Entebbe” Agreement does not enjoy consensus among the Nile Basin countries, pointing out that “the Nile Basin Initiative, which was established in 1999, is the only comprehensive mechanism that represents the entire Nile Basin,” and called for the necessity of “preserving the legal rights and obligations arising from it.” And to avoid further measures that entrench division between the basin countries.
Madbouly stressed the need to support various donors and support cooperation in the field of water in the Nile River Basin, in a way that enhances cooperation among all basin countries, based on On the principles of international law, and avoid supporting further measures or mechanisms that entrench the division between the basin countries.
Then another message came, from Foreign Minister Badr Abdel-Ati, with Egypt rejecting unilateral actions on the part of Ethiopia, and he said in media statements “Egypt does not have any problem with any of the Nile Basin countries except for one country, Ethiopia, which refuses to reach a binding legal agreement that guarantees the operation and filling of the Ethiopian dam, and this unilateral Ethiopian approach is completely rejected.”
The Minister of Foreign Affairs reiterated the same message, in a phone call, with his Ugandan counterpart, Jeji Odongo, where he stressed “the importance of consensus and inclusiveness, and not causing harm to strengthen the foundations of cooperation between the Nile Basin countries.”
Development diplomacy
The Vice President of the Egyptian Council for African Affairs, Ambassador Salah Halima, considered that the Investment Fund for the Nile Basin Countries is “a tool of Egyptian soft power, which aims to complement the great Egyptian cooperation efforts with the river countries, which enhances the performance of (diplomacy) Development), noting that “Egypt has implemented major development projects in the river countries, in Kenya, Tanzania and the Congo, the most prominent of which is Tanzania’s Julius Nyerere Dam project.”Ambassador Salah Halima added, in special statements, that the role of Egypt inside Africa, focusing on 4 basic axes, the first is a security axis in terms of combating terrorism, while the second file is political and linked to the political relations between Egypt and all African countries in the bilateral framework and the comprehensive strategic partnership for cooperation between the two sides in all areas and contributing a role to the settlement of issues and disputes on the African continent in particular. In the Sahel and the Horn of Africa, as well as security and stability in the Red Sea region.
He pointed out that the economic axis is related to the development and deepening of economic relations and their inclusion of many areas related to infrastructure and productive sectors, and the establishment of a continental free trade area that enhances economic relations between African countries with each other or between them and the world.
He said: Egypt has achieved great achievements, with regard to health, education, and the empowerment of women and youth, and that Egypt has also played a major role in controlling the Corona virus, and distributing vaccines fairly, He pointed out that the Egyptian water security file is no longer an Egyptian issue, but has become a regional security and an issue related to security at the international level, as evidenced by the presentation of the Renaissance Dam issue to the Security Council, and the success of Egyptian diplomacy in issuing a presidential decision from the Security Council that confirms the Egyptian demands regarding the necessity of having… A binding legal agreement with Ethiopia on the rules of filling and operation.
