May 10, 2010 (KHARTOUM) — Sudan has announced today that it will not sign the framework agreement aimed at reallocating shares from the river Nile, a longstanding demand by several up-stream countries.

Children fish in the river Nile near the capital Khartoum May 04, 2010 (Reuters)

Egypt joined by Sudan has refused any alteration to the pre-existing accords of 1929 & 1959 which gave it veto power over upstream projects.

Some of the Nile Basin countries, which include Ethiopia, Tanzania, Uganda, Kenya and the Democratic Republic of Congo, say past treaties are unfair and they want an equitable water-sharing agreement that would allow for more irrigation and power projects.

The Nile Basin Initiative, the World Bank funded umbrella group of Nile basin countries, has put off signing a water sharing pact over objections from Egypt and Sudan.

The Sudanese Legal Counsel to the initiative of the Nile Basin countries Ahmed Al-Mufti said in a press conference today that "the official position of the Sudanese government is not to sign during the period of the year set by the seven countries of the basin from the 14th of May unless all nine basin states reach solutions to the disputed issues. Click here for the rest of the story.