Merna Shalash, President of the Partners for Transparency, discussed the impact of political tensions and conflicts on the right to water across the African continent and condemned Ethiopia’s unilateral actions regarding the waters of the Nile River, which are leading to a reduction in Egypt’s share of Nile water. She recommended the establishment of a binding mechanism by the African Union and the African Commission to address the mismanagement of water resources by African states, and emphasized the importance of civil society organizations’ role in raising awareness about water issues.

This comes on the sidelines of the NGO Forum held in Dakar from October 8–10, ahead of the 89th session of the African Commission on Human and Peoples’ Rights.