Alnnayl River Coalition

Secretary General

The **Alnnayl River Coalition** (ARC, التحالف نهر النيل) is a North Ifrian political, economic and military organisation comprising of the Hashemite Kingdom, Hejaz, Jazira and Mesir. It was founded in 2036 in Az-Zaqar, HK. Currently led by Mesir, the ARC was formed to share and exploit the water resources of the Alnnayl River in the wake of the 2034 East Ifrian drought and global warming. The ARC soon expanded into an economic organisation as the member nations moved to expand trade and infrastructure along the Alnnayl as well as increase ties to protect the water resources. Following the 2039 Hejaz-Zagwe War, the ARC was expanded to include a mutual security function as well, due to the perceived danger of Zagwe cutting off the source of the Alnnayl.

## Membership

The ARC includes four out of five nations that the main Alnnayl River, the world's longest freshwater river, runs through. The source of the Alnnayl is Lake Dembiya, which is located in Zagwe, not a member of the organisation. The members of the organisation are also all members of the Organisation of Islamic States. The members of the ARC are:

* Hashemite Kingdom
* Hejaz
* Jazira
* Mesir

## Origins

From late 2033 to 2035, a major drought hit North Ifria, severely affecting farming and water resources, killing at least 3 million people and leading to small scale, violent conflicts. In the wake of the drought, Hejaz and Mesir signed an agreement to safeguard their portions of the Alnnayl, as the main water resource in the region. Home to the source of the Alnnayl, Zagwe was invited to join but rejected the organisation due to disputes with Hejaz over oil resources.

In 2036, the Hashemite Kingdom and Jazira expressed interest in the developmental opportunities of the Alnnayl and by working with their more developed neighbours. Meeting in Az-Zaqar, HK, the heads of state of each nation signed the ARC charter, bringing the ARC into existence. At the Az-Zagar summit, members agreed to oppose intervention in other countries' internal affairs and support the efforts of one another in safeguarding the four countries' economic interests, national independence, sovereignty, territorial integrity, and social stability.

The ARC has established relations with the United Nations, where it is an observer, the Athenian Unity League, the Ifrian Union, the Organisation of Islamic States and the Strategic Defence Coalition.

## Activities

### Economic cooperation

The primary purpose of the ARC is to promote trade and develop the economic potential of the Alnnayl River, as well as to share, exploit and protect its precious water resources. A long-term objective to establish a free trade area in the ARC has been indicated, while other more immediate measures would be taken to improve the flow of goods in the region.

The ARC prioritises joint hydro-energy projects and irrigation, along with the sale of water drawn from the Alnnayl. The creation of an Inter-bank ARC Council was also agreed upon at that summit in order to fund future joint projects. ARC aims to ensure food, water and energy security in the region, with the focus on the Alnnayl at the forefront of their efforts, though other water resources are also being examined.

### Cooperation on security

The ARC cooperates on its member nations' security-related concerns, particularly regarding the Alnnayl River. The organisation often describes the main threats it confronts as terrorism, separatism, extremism and foreign disturbances to the Alnnayl. While not officially a military bloc, ARC leaders claim that increased threats make necessary a full-scale involvement of armed forces.

In October 2043, the ARC signed an agreement with the Strategic Defence Coalition (SDC) to broaden cooperation on issues such as security, crime, and drug trafficking, though the agreement was primarily on the acquisition of arms. Subsequently, by 2045 the ARC nations were known to have been equipped with a system similar to the Directed Energy Aerial Defence Net (DEADEN), jointly developed by SDC and Yashima.

### Military activities

From 2039 onwards, following the Hejaz-Zagwe War where Zagwe threatened to cut off the Alnnayl in response to a Hejazi invasion, the organisation's activities have expanded to include increased military cooperation, intelligence sharing, counter-terrorism and efforts at improving collective defence. The organisation has also carried out major military exercises, such as the 2042 Exercise Desert Winds involving more than 5,000 troops. The organisation has also ensured the region's defence through the deployment of a jointly-operated DEADEN system throughout the member states.

ARC also cooperates with a unified anti-terror special operations force, comprised of troops from member states' special operations forces.

#### Invasion of Zagwe

The source of the Alnnayl river, Lake Dembiya, lies within Zagwe's borders, also the source of numerous rivers crucial to Zagwean farming. Due to racial, cultural and ideological differences, Zagwe has continuously refused to join the ARC and has threatened to cut off or divert the Alnnayl as leverage in negotiations with Hejaz and the other ARC nations. Since the failed 2039 invasion of Zagwe by Hejaz, the border between both countries was host to a continuous low-level conflict. In 2045, Zagwean terror groups attacked major hydroelectric dams within Hejaz, prompting Hejaz and the ARC to launch a full-scale invasion of Zagwe, occupying the north of the country, the Lower Alnnayl and Lake Dembiya. The occupation and fighting continues to this day, with Zagwe reportedly receiving periodic Allied Nations aid.