When asked to sign, countries started to consider the need of approving any joint programmes. The main issue for downstream countries is that any developments upstream should not impact on rights. The agreement should be ratified by 60 countries in two years. To date not many countries have signed and Egypt has chosen not to. Egypt has not signed but this does not mean we are against it.
Most articles are general and acceptable while only a few are objectionable.
For example, we disagree with the definition of the basin used. The agreement talks only of the channel while we believe it should talk of the basin as a whole so as to cover all resources and not just the water in the river. The agreement also stipulates that countries must avoid actions that incur 'appreciable' harm to others. It is simply too vague. We should share water.