The influence of domestic politics on the transboundary water interactions in the Eastern Nile

Asymmetric contributions to the river system and inequitable use of its water resources are the distinctive hallmarks of the Nile Basin. It is this hydro-political reality that has laid the foundation for the existence of competing demands, divergent interests, and entitlement to the river’s waters. This article thus aims to examine the influence of domestic politics on transboundary water conflict and cooperation in the Nile Basin, with a particular focus on the hydro-political relations of Ethiopia and Egypt. Viewing from the conceptual lens of hydro-hegemony and counter hydro-hegemony, the paper concluded that the overall internal political setting of the Nile Riparians, the domestic policy followed, and the strategy adopted to govern the shared water resources determine the nature of transboundary water interactions in the basin. Accordingly, the broader political configuration and the resultant power relations and dynamics within the basin have played an unabated role in shifting the water interaction between Ethiopia and Egypt towards conflict and cooperation. By adopting the broad perspective that analyzes the political context and power dynamics of the Nile Riparians beyond the water sector, this paper sheds light on the neglected issues in the existing scholarship on transboundary water politics.