Governments from member states of the Nile Basin Initiative (NBI) have reaffirmed their commitment to dialogue and equitable cooperation in managing the River Nile, as they gathered in Juba on Sunday to mark this year’s Nile Day.
The commemorative event brought together representatives from Burundi, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Egypt, Ethiopia, Kenya, Rwanda, South Sudan, Sudan, Tanzania and Uganda — the ten countries that share the Nile waters.
Held under the theme “Voice of the Nile: Community, Youth, and Women Engagement in Water Governance,” the gathering underscored the urgency of collective action amid mounting water and food demands, alongside intensifying climate pressures across the basin.
Addressing participants, South Sudan’s Foreign Minister, Monday Semaya Kumba, reiterated his country’s commitment to the NBI cooperation framework and respect for the sovereign rights of all member states.
He stressed adherence to principles of equitable sharing and sustainable stewardship of the river’s resources.
Egypt’s Minister of Water Resources and Irrigation, Hani Sweilem, described the NBI as the only inclusive framework capable of uniting all ten Nile Basin countries.
He said Cairo remains committed to consultations conducted in good faith and called on member states to sustain dialogue and avoid unilateral institutional steps towards a Cooperative Framework Agreement coalition before achieving basin-wide consensus.
From Sudan, Elharith Mustafa Abdurrahman, chairman of the country’s water resources technical organ, emphasised that the Nile Day celebration reflects a collective resolve to pursue cooperation, mutual equity and sustainable utilisation of shared water resources.
He highlighted growing pressures from rising demand for water, energy and food, compounded by climate change, noting that inclusive governance — particularly the engagement of communities, youth and women — is central to building trust and long-term resilience.