WHEREAS, the distribution of the water resources of Ethiopia is uneven in time and space, and on top of that, the country’s economic growth is causing a correlative increase in water uses with quantitative as well as qualitative impacts;

WHEREAS, the Ethiopian Water Resources Management Policy, envisages the establishment of river basin councils and authorities as one of the main instruments to implement integrated water resources management which is actually the pillar of the policy;

WHEREAS, integrated water resources management requires arrangements for reconciling the different uses of water resources within a river basin to achieve of water balance and sustainable development resources as economic as well as environmental resources;

WHEREAS, integrated water resources management process requires that the stakeholders of a river basin shall have to act in a coordinated manner in spite of their differences of approaches, interests and perceptions of the effects of their decisions, plans and activities on the hydrological cycle and on other users;

WHEREAS, the establishment of river basin councils and authorities shall have significant contributions in creating efficient and stable mechanisms for the implementation of the Ethiopian Water Resources Management Policy through river basin plans and effective and sustainable joint management by relevant stakeholders of the water resources of the basins;

NOW, THEREFORE, in accordance with Article 5 (1) of the Constitution, of the Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia it is hereby proclaimed as follows: