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Ethiopia News
borkena
November 27,2017
Photo : AP via Ahram
Also, the secretary is quoted as saying “We do not feel that Ethiopia was cooperating and coordinating enough. The Ethiopian plans to operate the dam and use its water in irrigation are ambiguous and concerning”
In an address to the Fourth Arabic Forum for Water in Cairo, Abul-Gheit stated that the water security of the most populous Arab country, in reference to Egypt, was a matter of Arab national security.
Noting that Egypt receives 85 % of its water from Ethiopian highlands, he said that “there are currently 400 million people living on the banks of the Nile who will reach one billion by 2050” and called on Ethiopia to be open and transparent and cooperate.
The Ethiopian position
While 86 percent of the volume of Nile water originates from Ethiopian highlands, the country is not getting its fair share of the water. Ethiopian authorities believe that the Grand Renaissance Dam, which is 60 % completed according to recent reports, will not significantly reduce the flow of water to lower riparian countries.
Sudan,one of the countries in the lower course, nodded that the dam will not affect its interest.
Affirming commitment for dialogue over the dam,Ethiopian authorities reject the desire on the part of Egypt for the implementation of colonial time treaty ( in 1929 and 1959) over Nile which Ethiopia didn’t sign.
When Egyptian president stated, for second time, that “water is a matter of life or death for Egypt” in what seemed to be a warning to Ethiopia, Ethiopian foreign Affairs ministry spokes person told journalists that the Grand Renaissance Dam is a matter of “life or death for Ethiopia,too”
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one thing they don’t understand is that Ethiopia had been the stepchild of the Nile benefits but that won’t continue. We have the lion share in providing the water full of fertile soil and they want to repay us with a treaty that would totally exclude our right to use our resource in a fair manner, hell no!!!!! If they want to stick the old treaties which we were not part of then they should take international law 101 course. Furthermore, I invite them to read our foreign policy and understand that development is the matter of national security and building the GRD is one of the ways we attain development. As an individual, I am not the supporter of the ruling party but as Ethiopian, I’m all 100% committed to my nation development, security, and sovereignty.
Both Arab league and Egypt officials may say whatever they like but it would be better for all the parties involved in the matter at had to negotiate. By this, I mean that we come to terms which would benefit all not only Egypt or even Ethiopia. well, if not then I say they are asking for it….. we are not afraid of anyone and we don’t need anybody’s permission to use our resource!! I hope history teach them how we maintain our sovereignty for thousands of years….