Nile as a Transboundary River and The Ethiopian Grand Renaissance Dam (GERD) : The Issue of Sovereignty-Cooperation Dilemma

The Nile as a transboundary river attracts worldwide attention. 85% of the river originates in Ethiopia. However, Ethiopia has historically been excluded from using this resource for development purposes. Since 2011, Ethiopia has been building a dam on the Blue Nile. However, downstream countries Egypt and Sudan, joined by countries in the Middle East and the Arabs, claim absolute sovereignty over the Nile. The purpose of this article is to provide a look at the current evolution of the legal and policy debate over the everyday use of the Blue Nile River. This review article provides the historical and legal background of the Blue Nile and argues for shared responsibility