Arsano, Yacob(PhD)Raga, Tariku2018-06-282023-11-042018-06-282023-11-042014-05http://etd.aau.edu.et/handle/123456789/4696The Nile and Euphrates-Tigris Rivers are shared Rivers known by tensions between the riparians over its utilization, despite attempts at cooperation has been made at different times. This study aimed to make a comparative analysis of challenges to cooperation in the Nile and Euphrates-Tigris basins in order to identify from the two basins which is better in terms of attempts of cooperation. Eventhough numerous scholarly works exists on the two River basins, there is a lack of comparative studies which tries to examine challenges to cooperation and identify the river basins approaching to create consensus on its utilization. The research has mainly based on secondary resources and related literature. To this end, the study has been employed the qualitative research method and utilized descriptive and exploratory techniques in order to review the factors hindering cooperation in the shared Rivers of the Nile and Euphrates-Tigris. Despite several factors which hampered the cooperation efforts in the two river basins, attempts at cooperation is not ignored. This can be observed from attempts at cooperation from Hydromet, Undugu, TECCONILE and NBI and later CFA in the Nile basin. In case of the Euphrates-Tigris River various agreements and protocols have been signed and entered into at different times; institution like JTC was created to this end. The major findings among other things include, even though various factors might challenge the cooperation efforts of the two basins, the important ones include: the unbalanced nature of water contribution and benefit accrued between the riparian states, the role of colonial legacy, Non-water issue/issue linkages/, Absence of NGO/CSO involvement and public participation, unilateral water development activities, Adherence to conflicting international water law doctrines, the existence of weak institutional mechanism, the role of power distribution between the riparians. Thus, the challenges observed in both basins are similar with different magnitudes of impeding their cooperation efforts. In addition, as observed from the result of the comparative analysis of the two basins, the Nile River Basin riparians is more approaching to consensus on equitable utilization than the Euphrates-Tigris basin. The evidence for this is that the Nile basin riparians are on the last step of creating Nile Basin Commission while the Euphrates-Tigris riparians are on the initial step of Joint Technical Committee meeting which at this time is not effectively functioning. Key Words: Cooperation, Conflict, Euphrates-Tigris, Nile River, Shared River BasinsenCooperationConflictEuphrates-TigrisNile RiverShared River BasinsThesis