(4 minutes read)
· Egypt said that Ethiopia informed that it would start the second phase of filling the mega dam on the Nile
· The move has invited severe criticism from Cairo
· Egyptian minister Abel Atti said that start of this second phase of the filling of the dam represents a violation of international laws and norms that regulate construction projects on shared basins of international rivers
· The Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam (GERD), built by Ethiopia upstream of the Nile, has caused disputes with Egypt and Sudan
Egypt said that Ethiopia informed (Egypt) that it would start the second phase of filling the mega dam on the Nile. The move has invited severe criticism from Cairo. It is likely to raise tensions ahead of a UN Security Council meeting tomorrow (Thursday). It is reported that his decision was conveyed to Egyptian Minister of Irrigation, Abdel Atti, through a communication from Addis Ababa regarding the start of the second phase of filling. In a statement issued, Cairo strongly condemned the unilateral action.
Egyptian minister Abel Atti said that the start of this second phase of the filling of the dam represents a violation of international laws and norms that regulate construction projects on shared basins of international rivers. The Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam (GERD), built by Ethiopia upstream of the Nile, has caused disputes with Egypt and Sudan.
The UN Security Council is due to meet on Thursday to discuss the matter at the request of Tunisia. Tunisia is a non-permanent member of the Council and representative of the Arab world. Ethiopia is opposed to this. However, Ethiopian representatives are expected to attend the meeting. Sudan and Egypt had sent letters to the UN requesting an emergency referral to the Security Council recently.
In the letter, Egypt said that negotiations have been at an impasse since April and accused Ethiopia of having an intransigent line by which it has torpedoed the collective efforts to reach an agreement on the GERD. Egypt and Sudan are demanding an agreement with Addis Ababa on filling its reservoir.
Ethiopia as reported by www.trendsnafrica.com had recently announced that it would proceed with the second phase with or without an agreement since the dam is vital to meet the energy needs of its 110 million people. Egypt fears that the dam would affect the supply of water to its territory for agriculture and household purposes. On the other hand, Sudan feels that the dam would be able to regulate the flow of waters in the Nile and help arrest the annual flooding in the country. But it insists on a consensual approach among the three countries before the dam becomes fully operational.
