The Nile Basin Initiative (NBI) was established in 1999 by the nine Nile riparian countries-Egypt, Sudan, Ethiopia, Uganda, Kenya, Tanzania, Burundi, Rwanda and the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC)-to facilitate dialogue on how to use the Nile's resources. However, Egypt's water rights have always been an obstacle for upstream countries, and in 2010 five NBI members-Ethiopia, Uganda, Rwanda, Kenya and Tanzania-signed a Co-operation Framework Agreement (CFA) that would change how control over the Nile was distributed. It would remove Egypt's veto and redistribute water rights on the Nile. In February 2011 Burundi became the sixth member to sign the agreement, allowing it to be ratified by the parliaments of signatory countries.

Egypt and Sudan have both rejected the accord, threatening to withdraw from the NBI while also lobbying other members to rescind their backing for the agreement. Egypt sent delegations to the DRC and Uganda, and the DRC has subsequently reversed its stance, after previously being an advocate of the new framework. In mid-May a large Egyptian delegation, including the interim prime minister, Essam Sharaf, is due to arrive in Addis Ababa to discuss the matter with the Ethiopian government. The situation has been further complicated by the tumultuous political events in early 2011, with the Egyptian president being overthrown and Southern Sudan voting to secede from Sudan.