Addis Ababa: Tanzania has thrown its weight behind plans to establish a permanent Nile Basin Commission, urging stronger institutional cooperation to manage one of Africa’s most contested and economically vital rivers.
Speaking on the sidelines of the African Union summit in Ethiopia’s capital, Tanzania’s Foreign Minister, Mahmoud Thabit Kombo, said durable governance structures were essential to ensure the equitable and sustainable use of the Nile’s waters.
“We welcome and fully support the establishment of the Nile Basin Commission,” he told ministers and representatives from countries that share the river. A permanent body, he argued, would improve coordination, deepen trust and provide a predictable framework for resolving disputes.
The Nile, which stretches more than 6,600km and sustains hundreds of millions of people across north-east and east Africa, underpins agriculture, hydropower generation and drinking water supplies. Yet it has long been a source of geopolitical tension, particularly as climate change, population growth and infrastructure projects increase pressure on shared resources.
Tanzania’s intervention comes amid renewed efforts by basin countries to strengthen multilateral cooperation through structured dialogue and joint investment programmes. Kombo said Dar es Salaam supports the proposed Nile Basin Investment Programme, which aims to expand water security, energy generation, food systems and environmental conservation across member states.
Joint investments in infrastructure, renewable energy and climate resilience, he added, could help mitigate shared risks while unlocking inclusive growth in a region where water stress is expected to intensify.
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Water, peace and governance
The Nile discussions were framed within the African Union’s broader development blueprint, Agenda 2063, which links water security and sanitation to economic transformation and social stability.
On the margins of the summit, Kombo also took part in high-level meetings addressing regional peace and governance.
Regarding Sudan, he welcomed the decision by the country’s transitional authorities to return to Khartoum, describing it as a step towards restoring state institutions after months of turmoil. He called for sustained international backing anchored in inclusive, Sudanese-led dialogue.
On Somalia, he reaffirmed Tanzania’s support for the federal government, emphasising respect for sovereignty, territorial integrity and political independence in line with continental and UN frameworks.
Kombo also conveyed congratulations to Ghana, Zimbabwe and Sierra Leone for completing voluntary peer reviews under the African Peer Review Mechanism, a governance accountability tool of the African Union. Speaking on behalf of President Samia Suluhu Hassan, he praised efforts to strengthen transparency and institutional reform.
For Tanzania, the message in Addis Ababa was consistent: African-led institutions — whether for shared rivers or democratic governance — are central to managing the continent’s interlinked challenges.
As water scarcity, climate volatility and political fragility converge, the push for a Nile Basin Commission signals a recognition that cooperative stewardship of natural resources is no longer optional, but foundational to regional stability.
