Egypt-Ethiopia talks over Nile dam end without progress
Egypt has said a four-month deadline agreed to with Ethiopia to negotiate an end to their long-running dispute over a Nile dam built by Addis Ababa has expired without progress.
Egypt reserves “its guaranteed right under international charters to defend its water and national security if it comes under threat”, the Water Resources and Irrigation Ministry said yesterday. There was no immediate response from Ethiopia.
Egypt said the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam could reduce its share of Nile waters, threatening millions of jobs in agriculture and risking the disruption of the country’s food security.
Cairo and Sudan have for years sought a legally binding deal with Ethiopia on the filling and operation of the dam.
Addis Ababa said Egypt and Sudan had nothing to fear from the way it would operate the dam.
It said recommendations were enough and rejected suggestions from Cairo for international mediation.
“The Arab Republic of Egypt emphasises that it will closely monitor the filling and operation of the dam,” Egyptian authorities said.
The latest round of negotiations held in Addis Ababa was the fourth and last under an agreement reached last summer between the Egyptian and Ethiopian governments.
Sudan, which will also be affected by the dam, has been a party to the negotiations.
“The meeting yielded no results because of the same Ethiopian positions that have over the years rejected compromise legal and technical solutions to secure the interests of the three nations,” Egypt said.
“It has become clear that the Ethiopian side is determined to use the negotiations as cover to enshrine the de facto situation on the ground.”
Addis Ababa was negotiating to win an endorsement from Egypt and Sudan that it has total control over the Blue Nile.
“In view of these Ethiopian positions, the path of negotiations has now ended,” it said.
Egypt has responded in a variety of ways. It has hinted at military action, but has more recently said that only diplomacy would do.