Austria supports Egypt's right to Nile waters, says FM

Austria supports Egypt’s right to its share of the Nile River waters, the Austrian Foreign Minister, Alexander Schallenberg, announced yesterday.

“The flow of the Nile waters is not a concern of one country but rather all countries through which the river runs,” Schallenberg told reporters in the Egyptian capital, Cairo. His remarks came after a meeting with his Egyptian counterpart, Sameh Shoukry.

Egypt, which relies mainly on the Nile for water, fears that the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam (GERD) and the process of filling its 74 billion cubic metre reservoir will negatively impact its water supply, while Sudan is concerned that the dam will harm the flow of water to its dams.

Schallenberg pointed out that discussions included talks on the “dire consequences of the Russian-Ukrainian war and the resulting global food crisis,” adding that the talks had included issues of “terrorism and irregular migration.”

The officials also discussed “the Libyan issue as well as ways of cooperation to bring peace and stability to the country.”

“Egypt is a key partner for Austria and the European Union in various fields,” Schallenberg said.

Shoukry said the talks touched on “regional and international issues, as well as coordination on special developments in the region.”

Egypt calls for urgent negotiations with Ethiopia, Sudan on dam