Egypt Warns Against Loss of Nile Water to Ethiopian Dam

President Morsi and the officials during the meeting (Photo: Presidency Official Facebook Page)

Egyptian President Mohamed Morsi has warned he will not allow a large Ethiopian dam project to reduce his country's share of water from the Nile River.

In comments carried on Egyptian state television Monday, Morsi said the country can not let "one drop" of water be affected, and vowed to take steps to ensure water security.

Ethiopia says there is no reason for Egypt to worry about the hydroelectric dam, which is being built on the Blue Nile, a main Nile River tributary.

Ethiopia's water minister says the dam's construction poses no threat to Egypt or Sudan, which both depend heavily on the Nile.

Both countries have expressed concern that the dam will leave them without enough water to support their populations.

The construction of the dam in Asosa region Ethiopia, Apr. 2, 2013. Ethiopia started to divert the flow of the Blue Nile river to construct a giant dam, according to its state media, in a move that could impact the Nile-dependent Egypt.

Last week, protests erupted at the Ethiopian embassy in Cairo after Ethiopia began diverting the Blue Nile to allow for construction of the nearly $5 billion dam.

More than two-thirds of the Blue Nile originates in Ethiopia. However, colonial-era treaties gave Egypt and Sudan the majority of water from the tributary.

Ethiopia began constructing the dam two years ago with a goal of becoming a main power producer in Africa.

Some information for this report was provided by AFP.


HOW EGYPTY'S MEDIA REPORT THIS NEWS

AhramOnline 

Egypt's Morsi, top officials mull response to Ethiopia dam move

Egyptian officialdom awaits outcome of tripartite commission's report on Ethiopian dam project – expected on Sunday – before deciding on appropriate response

 President Mohamed Morsi on Thursday met with Defence Minister Abdel-Fatah El-Sisi, Interior Minister Mohamed Ibrahim and General Intelligence head Rafaat Shehata to discuss recent developments in Sinai and Egypt's position regarding Ethiopian plans to build a series of dams on the Nile.

According to presidential spokesman Ehab Fahmy, meeting attendees discussed the options available to Egypt to deal with Ethiopia's 'Renaissance Dam' project and the project's potential impact on Egypt and its share of Nile water.

Fahmy also stated that talks were ongoing with Ethiopian officials in an effort to reach an agreement to the "mutual benefit" of both countries.

President Morsi, Fahmy said, had also discussed the issue with Foreign Minister Mohamed Kamel Omar and Water Resources Minister Mohamed Bahaa El-Din.

At a press conference held earlier on Thursday at the Presidential Palace in Cairo, Fahmy said that the presidency would "not allow anyone to threaten Egypt's supply of Nile water."

Egypt supports development projects in Africa "as long as they don't affect Egypt's national security," the presidential spokesman stressed. He went on to note that President Morsi was keen to cooperate with "all African states" on water-sharing issues.

At a press conference convened following the meeting with the president, Bahaa El-Din declared that the Egypt had ruled out a military response in the event that Ethiopia insisted on going ahead with its dam project.

The minister added that a report on the dam project by an international tripartite commission – consisting of representatives from Egypt, Sudan and Ethiopia – would be issued on Sunday.

If the report concluded that the Ethiopian dam project would adversely affect Egypt, Bahaa El-Din said that Egypt would prepare "a number of scenarios."