Work

Media’s portrayal of the Nile colonial treaties and its implications for the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam disputes

Year: 2025

Type: article

Abstract: This article examines the discursive representation of the Nile Water Treaties as portrayed by Ahram Online , Sudan Tribune and The Ethiopian Herald , national newspapers in Egypt, Sudan, and Ethiopia, respectively. Guided by Postcolonial Theory, the study employs the Postcolonial Critical Discourse Analysis method. Findings reveal that these newspapers divergently portrayed the Nile treaties as binding, alternative and obsolete trichotomies, respectively. We argue that the structural legacies of colonialism, as evidenced by colonial treaties, still influence how contemporary media portrays projects on transboundary resources. Consequently, such divergences contribute to conflicting terms rather than cooperation between the three riparian countries regarding the project.

Source: Global Media and Communication

DOI: 10.1177/17427665251384947

Authors: Desalegn Aynalem, Abdissa Zerai

Institutions: Jimma University, Addis Ababa University

Language: English

Topic: Transboundary Water Resource Management

Subfield: Sociology and Political Science

Field: Social Sciences

Domain: Social Sciences

SDG: Peace, justice, and strong institutions

Open Access status: hybrid

Estimated APC paid: $3,650