Keep Us Strong WikiLeaks logo

Currently released so far... 97115 / 251,287

Articles

Browse latest releases

Browse by creation date

Browse by origin

A B C D F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W Y Z

Browse by tag

A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z
ETRD EAGR ETTC EAID ECON EFIN ECIN EINV ELAB EAIR ENRG EPET EWWT ECPS EIND EMIN ELTN EC ETMIN EUC EZ ET ELECTIONS ENVR EU EUN EG EINT ER ECONOMICS ES EMS ENIV EEB EN ECE ECOSOC EK ENVIRONMENT EFIS EI EWT ENGRD ECPSN EXIM EIAD ERIN ECPC EDEV ENGY ECTRD EPA ESTH ECCT EINVECON ENGR ERTD EUR EAP EWWC ELTD EL EXIMOPIC EXTERNAL ETRDEC ESCAP ECO EGAD ELNT ECONOMIC ENV ETRN EIAR EUMEM ENRGPARMOTRASENVKGHGPGOVECONTSPLEAID EREL ECOM ECONETRDEAGRJA ETCC ETRG ECONOMY EMED ETR ENERG EITC EFINOECD EURM EENG ERA EXPORT ENRD ECONEINVETRDEFINELABETRDKTDBPGOVOPIC EGEN EBRD EVIN ETRAD ECOWAS EFTA ECONETRDBESPAR EGOVSY EPIN EID ECONENRG EDRC ESENV ETT EB ENER ELTNSNAR ECHEVARRIA ETRC EPIT EDUC ESA EFI ENRGY ESCI EE EAIDXMXAXBXFFR EETC ECIP EIAID EIVN EBEXP ESTN EING EGOV ETRA EPETEIND ELAN ETRDGK EAIDRW ETRDEINVECINPGOVCS EPEC ENVI ELN EAG EPCS EPRT EPTED ETRB EUM EAIDS EFIC EFINECONEAIDUNGAGM EAIDAR ESF EIDN ELAM EDU EV EAIDAF ECN EDA EXBS EINTECPS ENRGTRGYETRDBEXPBTIOSZ EPREL EAC EINVEFIN ETA EAGER EINDIR ECA ECLAC ELAP EITI EUCOM ECONEFINETRDPGOVEAGRPTERKTFNKCRMEAID EARG ELDIN EINVKSCA ENNP EFINECONCS EFINTS ECCP ETC EAIRASECCASCID EINN ETRP EAIDNI EFQ ECOQKPKO EGPHUM EBUD ECONEINVEFINPGOVIZ ENERGY ELB EINDETRD EMI ECONEFIN EIB EURN ETRDEINVTINTCS EIN EFIM ETIO ELAINE EMN EATO EWTR EIPR EINVETC ETTD ETDR EIQ ECONCS EPPD ENRGIZ EISL ESPINOSA ELEC EAIG ESLCO EUREM ENTG ERD EINVECONSENVCSJA EEPET EUNCH ECINECONCS ETRO ETRDECONWTOCS ECUN EFND EPECO EAIRECONRP ERGR ETRDPGOV ECPN ENRGMO EPWR EET EAIS EAGRE EDUARDO EAGRRP EAIDPHUMPRELUG EICN ECONQH EVN EGHG ELBR EINF EAIDHO EENV ETEX ERNG ED
KMDR KPAO KPKO KJUS KCRM KGHG KFRD KWMN KDEM KTFN KHIV KGIC KIDE KSCA KNNP KHUM KIPR KSUM KISL KIRF KCOR KRCM KPAL KWBG KN KS KOMC KSEP KFLU KPWR KTIA KSEO KMPI KHLS KICC KSTH KMCA KVPR KPRM KE KU KZ KFLO KSAF KTIP KTEX KBCT KOCI KOLY KOR KAWC KACT KUNR KTDB KSTC KLIG KSKN KNN KCFE KCIP KGHA KHDP KPOW KUNC KDRL KV KPREL KCRS KPOL KRVC KRIM KGIT KWIR KT KIRC KOMO KRFD KUWAIT KG KFIN KSCI KTFIN KFTN KGOV KPRV KSAC KGIV KCRIM KPIR KSOC KBIO KW KGLB KMWN KPO KFSC KSEAO KSTCPL KSI KPRP KREC KFPC KUNH KCSA KMRS KNDP KR KICCPUR KPPAO KCSY KTBT KCIS KNEP KFRDCVISCMGTCASCKOCIASECPHUMSMIGEG KNNB KGCC KINR KPOP KMFO KENV KNAR KVIR KDRG KDMR KFCE KNAO KDEN KGCN KICA KIMMITT KMCC KLFU KMSG KSEC KUM KCUL KMNP KSMT KCOM KOMCSG KSPR KPMI KRAD KIND KCRP KAUST KWAWC KTER KCHG KRDP KPAS KITA KTSC KPAOPREL KWGB KIRP KJUST KMIG KLAB KTFR KSEI KSTT KAPO KSTS KLSO KWNN KPOA KHSA KNPP KPAONZ KBTS KWWW KY KJRE KPAOKMDRKE KCRCM KSCS KWMNCI KESO KWUN KPLS KIIP KEDEM KPAOY KRIF KGICKS KREF KTRD KFRDSOCIRO KTAO KJU KWMNPHUMPRELKPAOZW KEN KO KNEI KEMR KKIV KEAI KWAC KRCIM KWCI KFIU KWIC KCORR KOMS KNNO KPAI KBWG KTTB KTBD KTIALG KILS KFEM KTDM KESS KNUC KPA KOMCCO KCEM KRCS KWBGSY KNPPIS KNNPMNUC KWN KERG KLTN KALM KCCP KSUMPHUM KREL KGH KLIP KTLA KAWK KWMM KVRP KVRC KAID KSLG KDEMK KX KIF KNPR KCFC KFTFN KTFM KPDD KCERS KMOC KDEMAF KMEPI KEMS KDRM KEPREL KBTR KEDU KNP KIRL KNNR KMPT KISLPINR KTPN KA KJUSTH KPIN KDEV KTDD KAKA KFRP KWNM KTSD KINL KJUSKUNR KWWMN KECF KWBC KPRO KVBL KOM KFRDKIRFCVISCMGTKOCIASECPHUMSMIGEG KEDM KFLD KLPM KRGY KNNF KICR KIFR KM KWMNCS KAWS KLAP KPAK KDDG KCGC KID KNSD KMPF KPFO KDP KCMR KRMS KNPT KNNNP KTIAPARM KDTB KNUP KPGOV KNAP KNNC KUK KSRE KREISLER KIVP KQ KTIAEUN KPALAOIS KRM KISLAO KWM KFLOA
PHUM PINR PTER PGOV PREL PREF PL PM PHSA PE PARM PINS PK PUNE PO PALESTINIAN PU PBTS PROP PTBS POL POLI PA PGOVZI POLMIL POLITICAL PARTIES POLM PD POLITICS POLICY PAS PMIL PINT PNAT PV PKO PPOL PERSONS PING PBIO PH PETR PARMS PRES PCON PETERS PRELBR PT PLAB PP PAK PDEM PKPA PSOCI PF PLO PTERM PJUS PSOE PELOSI PROPERTY PGOVPREL PARP PRL PNIR PHUMKPAL PG PREZ PGIC PBOV PAO PKK PROV PHSAK PHUMPREL PROTECTION PGOVBL PSI PRELPK PGOVENRG PUM PRELKPKO PATTY PSOC PRIVATIZATION PRELSP PGOVEAIDUKNOSWGMHUCANLLHFRSPITNZ PMIG PREC PAIGH PROG PSHA PARK PETER POG PHUS PPREL PS PTERPREL PRELPGOV POV PKPO PGOVECON POUS PGOVPRELPHUMPREFSMIGELABEAIDKCRMKWMN PWBG PMAR PREM PAR PNR PRELPGOVEAIDECONEINVBEXPSCULOIIPBTIO PARMIR PGOVGM PHUH PARTM PN PRE PTE PY POLUN PPEL PDOV PGOVSOCI PIRF PGOVPM PBST PRELEVU PGOR PBTSRU PRM PRELKPAOIZ PGVO PERL PGOC PAGR PMIN PHUMR PVIP PPD PGV PRAM PINL PKPAL PTERE PGOF PINO PHAS PODC PRHUM PHUMA PREO PPA PEPFAR PGO PRGOV PAC PRESL PORG PKFK PEPR PRELP PREFA PNG PGOVPHUMKPAO PRELECON PINOCHET PFOR PGOVLO PHUMBA PRELC PREK PHUME PHJM POLINT PGOVPZ PGOVKCRM PGOVE PHALANAGE PARTY PECON PEACE PROCESS PLN PRELSW PAHO PEDRO PRELA PASS PPAO PGPV PNUM PCUL PGGV PSA PGOVSMIGKCRMKWMNPHUMCVISKFRDCA PGIV PRFE POGOV PEL PBT PAMQ PINF PSEPC POSTS PHUMPGOV PVOV PHSAPREL PROLIFERATION PENA PRELTBIOBA PIN PRELL PGOVPTER PHAM PHYTRP PTEL PTERPGOV PHARM PROTESTS PRELAF PKBL PRELKPAO PKNP PARMP PHUML PFOV PERM PUOS PRELGOV PHUMPTER PARAGRAPH PERURENA PBTSEWWT PCI PETROL PINSO PINSCE PQL PEREZ PBS

Browse by classification

Community resources

courage is contagious

Viewing cable 09CAIRO1408, EGYPT ON NILE RIGHTS AND THE NILE BASIN INITIATIVE

If you are new to these pages, please read an introduction on the structure of a cable as well as how to discuss them with others. See also the FAQs

Understanding cables
Every cable message consists of three parts:
  • The top box shows each cables unique reference number, when and by whom it originally was sent, and what its initial classification was.
  • The middle box contains the header information that is associated with the cable. It includes information about the receiver(s) as well as a general subject.
  • The bottom box presents the body of the cable. The opening can contain a more specific subject, references to other cables (browse by origin to find them) or additional comment. This is followed by the main contents of the cable: a summary, a collection of specific topics and a comment section.
To understand the justification used for the classification of each cable, please use this WikiSource article as reference.

Discussing cables
If you find meaningful or important information in a cable, please link directly to its unique reference number. Linking to a specific paragraph in the body of a cable is also possible by copying the appropriate link (to be found at theparagraph symbol). Please mark messages for social networking services like Twitter with the hash tags #cablegate and a hash containing the reference ID e.g. #09CAIRO1408.
Reference ID Created Released Classification Origin
09CAIRO1408 2009-07-21 14:31 2011-02-16 21:00 CONFIDENTIAL Embassy Cairo
VZCZCXYZ0000
PP RUEHWEB

DE RUEHEG #1408/01 2021431
ZNY CCCCC ZZH
P 211431Z JUL 09
FM AMEMBASSY CAIRO
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 3240
INFO RUEHDS/AMEMBASSY ADDIS ABABA 0349
RUEHKM/AMEMBASSY KAMPALA 0157
RUEHKH/AMEMBASSY KHARTOUM 1339
RUEHNR/AMEMBASSY NAIROBI 0420
C O N F I D E N T I A L CAIRO 001408 
 
SIPDIS 
 
DEPARTMENT FOR NEA/ELA, AF/SPG, AF/E 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 07/15/2019 
TAGS: PGOV PREL EAGR ECON SU ET KE UG EG
SUBJECT: EGYPT ON NILE RIGHTS AND THE NILE BASIN INITIATIVE 
 
Classified By: Minister Counselor for Economic and Political Affairs Donald A. Blome for reasons 1.4 (b) and (d).
1.(C) Key Points: -- The Government of Egypt (GoE) believes that recent attempts by upstream Nile Basin countries to set up a Nile River Basin commission to review water issues violates the spirit of "consensus" and past Nile water agreements. -- According to Dr. Abdel Fattah Metawie, Chairman of the Nile Water Section in the Egyptian Ministry of Water Resources and Irrigation. Egypt has sent a tough message to the upstream countries stating the Egypt will no longer provide development and water assistance to these countries if they continue on their current course. -- Egypt believes the other Nile Basin countries should respect Egypt's historical rights to the Nile River waters, decisions should be taken by consensus not voting, and upstream countries must notify and obtain the consent of downstream countries (Egypt and Sudan) for planned projects that could affect the flow of the river. -- Egypt would like the U.S. and other donor countries to stress that Nile water rights are a global, regional, and national security issue that must be resolved in the best interests of all countries. Metawie asked the USG to state its support for previous NBI agreements. -- The Nile Council of Ministers (Nile COM) will meet in Alexandria, Egypt from July 22-28 to discuss Nile water issues. The Egyptian Ministry of Water Resources and Irrigation invited Post to attend some of the conference sessions, and will provide us with a readout of the other meetings.

2.(C) Comment: Egypt's existence depends on the Nile. Growing populations in the Nile Basin, especially in Egypt and Ethiopia, are increasing the strain on Nile water resources. The Egyptian Ministry of Water Resources and Irrigation's monitors on a daily basis the water levels in the countries of Ethiopia, Sudan, and Uganda, underscoring the high value that the GoE places on this issue. Metawie implied throughout the meeting that use of the Nile by upstream countries for fisheries, tourism, electricity, and potable water would be tolerated, but its use for agricultural irrigation is not needed and extremely contentious. While Metawie asserts that the GoE's project work in upstream countries does not provide Egypt with benefits, these projects are in fact aimed at directly and indirectly benefiting Egypt by increasing the flow of Nile water and enhancing Egypt's relations with upstream countries and populations. End Comment. --------------------------------------- A Row over Nile Water Rights Agreements ---------------------------------------

3.(C) The GoE believes that recent attempts by upstream Nile Basin countries (Ethiopia, Burundi, D.R. Congo, Kenya, Rwanda, Tanzania, and Uganda) to set up a Nile River Basin commission to review water issues lays the groundwork for "abuse of Nile waters," and violates the spirit of "consensus" and past Nile water agreements. Dr. Abdel Fattah Metawie, Chairman of the Nile Water Section in the Egyptian Ministry of Water Resources and Irrigation, in a July 12 meeting, admitted that past "colonial" agreements on Nile waters, enacted in 1929 and 1959, contain "harsh language" toward upstream countries, but these agreements take into account the realities of rainfall and water usage in the Nile Basin. The GoE, according to Metawie, sent a tough message to the upstream countries stating the Egypt will no longer provide development and water assistance to upstream countries if they continue to pursue a commission. The letter encourages the countries to "review their decision" and engage in cooperation, not fighting. This topic will be addressed at Nile COM meetings in Alexandria, Egypt from July 22-28. -------------------------------------------- Solution is in Consensus-Building and the NBI --------------------------------------------

4.(C) According to Metawie, the Egyptian position at the Nile COM meetings will be that the all Nile countries must respect Egypt's historical rights to the river waters, decisions should be taken by consensus, not voting, and upstream countries must notify and obtain the consent of downstream countries for planned projects that could affect the flow of the river. He specifically mentioned Ethiopian plans for dams. Metawie stated that the Egyptian principles will lead to "water security and mutual respect for the uses and rights of all riparian countries." He told us that Egypt sees the Nile Basin Initiative (NBI) as a way to preserve its historic rights to Nile waters and to provide benefits to other riparian countries. Metawie said that any NBI decision should focus on management of Nile waters so as to not cause harm to any riparian country and create a "win-win" situation for all countries. ------------------------------------------ Egyptian Efforts to Develop Upstream Areas ------------------------------------------

5.(SBU) Metawie told us that the GoE has carried out projects in upstream countries and transferred technologies that have allowed these countries to make full use of the Nile, but have no direct benefit to Egypt. The GoE spent USD 26 million in southern Sudan to rehabilitate water stations, train water management officials, conduct a hydro-electric dam study, and provide drinking water. Egypt helped Uganda build dams for hydro-electrical power, and spent USD 18.4 million to clear aquatic weeds from the Nile and equatorial lakes. Egypt also spent USD 6-7 million to dig 150 wells in Kenya and 30 in Tanzania. Egypt provided Ethiopia with engineer training, consulting on sight selection and dam construction, and provided electrical cable for hydro-electric power projects. --------------------------------------------- ----- Politics and Lack of Expertise Exacerbate Problems --------------------------------------------- -----

6.(C) Metawie stated that the topic of water rights in upstream countries has become fodder for "local political consumption." Upstream countries often blame Egypt for their water problems, but these concerns are "unsubstantiated." According to Metawie, the problem is the lack of water expertise in upstream countries and non-consensual decision-making. As examples, he said that the Ugandan water ministry has 20 engineers, while Egyptian ministry has thousands. He also stated that Kenya, Tanzania, and Uganda consistently battle over Lake Victoria water management because of Uganda's unilateral decision to release more water to its dams to increase hydro-electrical output. Metawie stated that upstream countries do not need to use the Nile for irrigation purposes because "they have enough rain to sustain agriculture." Recent statements by officials in water ministries in Tanzania, Kenya, and Uganda, Metawie claimed, have shown a lack of understanding about agriculture, the use of Nile waters, and the importance of the Nile in downstream countries. -------------------------------------- Sudan's Merowe Dam Does not Hurt Egypt --------------------------------------

7.(C) Metawie told us that Egypt was unaffected by the construction and filling of the Merowe Dam, which was constructed to increase hydro-electrical capacity in Sudan. He claimed that the Lake Nasser reservoir gave Egypt the ability to exist for two years without any additional Nile water flow. The Merowe dam's water storage is only 12 billion cubic meters (8 billion cubic meters live storage and 4 billion cubic meters dead storage), so it had little effect on Egypt's water supply. Metawie said that Sudan has filled the Merowe dam's reservoir and last week it released water from the dam to make room for new water flows from the current seasonal rains in southern Sudan. ---------------------------------- The U.S. Role on Nile Water Rights ----------------------------------

8.(C) Metawie asked the USG to state its support for previous NBI agreements. He encouraged the U.S. as a donor country to convey the message that water rights are a global, regional, and national security issue and they must be resolved in the best interests of all countries. Tueller