Title: Exchange of notes constituting an agreement between the Government of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland (on behalf of Uganda) and the Government of Egypt regarding cooperation in meteorological, and Hydrological surveys in certain areas of the Nile Basin
Parties: Egypt, Great Britain (Uganda)
Basin: Nile
Date: 1/19/1950
No. 3123. EXCHANGE OF NOTES CONSTITUTING AN AGREEMENT1 BETWEEN THE GOVERNMENT OF THE UNITED KINGDOM OF GREAT BRITAIN AND NORTHERN IRELAND (ON BEHALF OF THE GOVERNMENT OF UGANDA) AND THE GOVERNMENT OF EGYPT REGARDING CO-OPERATION IN METEOROLOGICAL, AND HYDROLOGICAL SURVEYS IN CERTAIN AREAS OF THE NILE BASIN. CAIRO, 19 JANUARY, 28 FEBRUARY AND 20 MARCH 1950
1
The Egyptian Minister for Foreign Affairs to His Majesty's Ambassador at Cairo
[Translation2]
MINISTRY OF FOREIGN AFFAIRS
Cairo, 19th January, 1950
Your Excellency,
I have the honour to inform your Excellency that during last November official discussions took place in Uganda between the representatives of the Egyptian Ministry of Public Works and the appropriate departments of the Uganda Government with a view to organising the recording of meteorological and hydrological information about the Equatorial Lakes.
In view of the importance and the ever-growing need for Egypt to collect all possible data about the Lakes the Ministry of Public Works intends to take urgent measures to draw up a plan for research, observation, and meteorological and hydrological recording on a much more comprehensive scale than has been undertaken so far.
As a result of these discussions the Government of Uganda, which has already set up a special
Department to collect and record hydrological data in Uganda, intends to extend this work and to include both the collection of hydrological data from all the areas of the basin which feeds the Nile, whether in the East African territories or in the Belgian Congo and which are marked on the attached map3 and the gathering of certain additional data concerning Lake Victoria which are not at present collected by any other organisation.
In addition, the Royal Egyptian Government will be pleased to co-operate in this field with the Government of Uganda in accordance with the following conditions :-
1.-The Egyptian Government agree that the Government of Uganda should take on the services of M. Winny as well as make use of the equipment at present in Uganda.
2.-All the meteorological and hydrological data and information collected by the Hydrological Department of Uganda for the observation posts marked on the attached map will be supplied to the Egyptian Government.
Moreover, these posts may be changed and their number increased or reduced from time to time after consultation with the Ministry of Public Works.
3.-The Resident Egyptian Engineer at the Owen Falls Dam and his assistants who will be established at Jinja, shall have access to all the Posts which are in Uganda in order to undertake periodical inspections to assure themselves that the posts are being satisfactorily maintained and the observations regularly collected.
4.-The Royal Egyptian Government agree to contribute to the expenses incurred in obtaining and calculating the meteorological and hydrological data and information mentioned above an annual sum of £E.4,200 which, if the circumstances warrant it, shall be subject to a revision to be muturally agreed and may be increased to a maximum figure of £E.4,500.
5.-In due course an evaluating station will be established similar to the existing by the Delta Barrage. Until this can be done, the measurements of the current will continue to be sent to Egypt, preferably by air courier, for purposes of evaluation.
6.-The 1st of March, 1950, is proposed as a suitable date for the entry into force of the new arrangement.
7.-The official Exchange of Notes to this effect shall constitute an Agreement between the two Governments.
I should be very much obliged if your Excellency would transmit the forgoing to the Government of Uganda.
Please accept, &c.
M. SALAH EL DIN
II
His Majesty's Ambassador at Cairo to the Egyptian Minister for Foreign Affairs
BRITISH EMBASSY
Cairo, 28th February, 1950
Monsieur le Ministre,
I have the honour to refer to your Excellency's Note of 19th January in you requested me to advise the Government of Uganda that the Royal Egyptian Government would be prepared to co-operate with that Government in meteorological and hydrological surveys in certain specified areas of the Nile Basin on the following conditions :-
[See note I]
At the request of the request of the Governor of Uganda, and on instructions from His Majesty's Principal Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs, I now have the honour to inform your Excellency that the Government of Uganda agree to co-operate in this matter with the Royal Egyptian Government on the conditions as set out above. If the Royal Egyptian Government confirm that they are also in agreement, your Excellency's reply in that sense and this Note will constitute the exchange of formal notes referred to in sub-paragraph 7 of your Excellency’s Note under reference.
I have, &c.
Ronald Campbell
III
The Egyptian Minister for Foreign Affairs to His Majesty's Ambassador at Cairo
[Translation4 ]
MINISTRY OF FOREIGN AFFAIRS
Cairo, March 20, 1950
Your Excellency,
I have the honour to acknowledge receipt of your Excellency's Note of the 28th of February, 1950, in which you were kind enough to convey to me the agreement of the Government of Uganda to co-operate with the Royal Egyptian Government for the purpose of organising the collation of meteorological and hydrological data concerning the Equatorial Lakes in accordance with the conditions described in our Note of January 19, 1950.
In reply, I have the honour to inform your Excellency that the Royal Egyptian Government agree that the Exchange of the two Notes, that under reference and the present one, constitute a formal agreement to this effect between the Royal Egyptian Government and the Government of Uganda.
Please accept, &c.
M. SALAH EL DIN
1 Came into force on 20 March 1950, with effect from 1 March 1950, in accordance with terms of the said notes.
2 Translation by the Government of the United Kingdom.
3 Not reproduced by the Government of the United Kingdom.
4 Translation by the Government of the United Kingdom.