Ethiopia tells Egypt ‘politicising’ dam and Nile water benefits no one

Ethiopia’s State Minister for Foreign Affairs has said that Egypt’s attempt to “politicise” the issues arising from the Grand Renaissance Dam and River Nile water “benefit no one,” Anadolu has reported.

Meles Alemu Gebremichael made his comment during talks with the chairperson of the African Union Commission, Moussa Faki Mahamat, in Addis Ababa on Tuesday.

According to the Ethiopian News Agency, Gebremichael explained that his country has a “firm stance on the necessity of continuing trilateral negotiations on the dam and Nile water under the auspices of the African Union.

Egypt and Sudan insist on reaching a trilateral agreement on filling and operating the reservoir behind the dam first to ensure the continuation of their annual share of water from the River Nile. Addis Ababa rejects this position, and maintains that the dam is not intended to harm anyone.

“The African Union will provide ongoing support for the negotiations to be held within the framework of the organisation,” said Mahamat.

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