Introduction:

Water is evolving into an issue of high politics since the beginning of the twenty-first century, and the probability of water-related violence is alarmingly increasing. Nearly 80% of the world’s population is exposed to high levels of threat to water security.

Water security has become a major issue at the present time. On the one hand, it contributes to determining the shape and nature of relations between countries, while on the other hand, it has become an important determinant of possible development opportunities in the country, especially in the countries of the South and more specifically, in Africa. Therefore, cooperation and solidarity between countries within the framework of water conservation and optimal use thereof remains the most important possible solution to avoid conflicts, especially in light of the recent escalation of disputes over water.

In the context of the case of the Nile River, the current dispute triggered by the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam has dramatically escalated and went beyond mere conflict of visions. If this problem left non-jointly addressed by the concerned governments, it would develop into a real crisis.

While African civil society organizations are following up on the standing dispute, which is expected to take a devastating toll on African countries, the African Initiative: “Africa’s Water for Peace: The Nile for Peace”, has been launched. The initiative seeks achieving greater unity and solidarity among African countries, in general, and Nile Basin countries, in particular. Africa's Waters for Peace: The Nile for Peace InitiativeWhich calls for efforts to replace the expected conflict with solidarity, in order to achieve development and peace in the Nile Basin in particular, and on water resources in Africa in general.

On the sidelines of its participation in the activities of the 47th session of the United Nations Human Rights Council, as well as the activities of the United Nations High-Level Political Forum (HLPF), and in its capacity as a member of the African Initiative: “Africa’s Water for Peace: The Nile for Peace”, Maat for Peace, Development, and Human Rights holds this virtual event, which is part of a series of online virtual events that introduce the initiative, set an organizational principle for peacebuilding in the Nile Basin in the future, and as a kind of mobilization in international platforms and mechanisms, especially those related to international mechanisms for the protection of human rights and sustainable development, given that the water issue is directly related to the two themes. This virtual event comes as one of a series of introductory episodes of the initiative, which sets an organizational principle for building peace in the Nile Basin in the future, and as a kind of mobilization in international platforms and mechanisms, especially those related to international mechanisms for the protection of human rights and sustainable development, given that the water issue is directly related to the two tracks. .

Importance & Themes of the Virtual Event

The importance of this event comes within the framework of highlighting the possible patterns of international solidarity and explaining how this will contribute to preventing an imminent conflict in the Nile Basin, through the following axes:

1. Introducing international solidarity on water issues, and reviewing cases in which international solidarity succeeded in resolving issues affecting national security in general and water security in particular.
2. Discussing the importance of international solidarity in the case of the Nile Basin, and reviewing the alternatives available to the governments of the parties to the conflict to facilitate the process of international solidarity.
3. Presenting future scenarios of the GERD crisis and its impact on human rights and sustainable development.
4. Showing the future of the Nile Basin region if international solidarity succeeded in preventing the imminent conflict.

Event details:

The Event is scheduled on Tuesday, July 6, 2021 at 12:00 pm (Cairo Time)Tuesday, July 6, 2021 at 12.00 Egypt time

By default on the Zoom platform on the following link:

https://zoom.us/j/99221997167?pwd=emhFNlRMU3ZQY0lwWVpWbjRtaUFCQT09

Meeting ID: 992 2199 7167 Passcode: 162832

Event Coordinator: Abd al-Rahman Pasha - a.pasha@maatpeace.us.to  / 00201095201286