The United States and The World reportedly standing in guard of Egyptian interest. Their proposals in the negotiation in Washington said to be one that affects the interest of Ethiopia.
borkena
January 30, 2020
The Water Ministers and Foreign Ministers from Egypt, Ethiopia, and Sudan, as well as experts, have been discussing the final document to be signed regarding Ethiopian Dam operation between January 28 and 29 in Washington DC. And it was expected to be the final one. As it turns out, that does not seem to be the case.
Wazema radio reported on Thursday that negotiating parties failed to make a final agreement. Proposals for water release from the dam in the event of drought are said to be the principal points of disagreement.
Egypt and the “Observers” (The World Bank and The United States) views regarding how to release water during drought stands against the interest and sovereignty of Ethiopia. At the same time, it empowers Egypt to the extent of dictating terms on ways of releasing water, according to the report by Wazema.
The negotiation is extended for the third day, but it is unclear if it will continue until an agreement is reached or not.
Wazema Radio cited insider information to report those Ethiopian negotiators experienced pressure and threat to sign the document.
The observers (US Department of Treasury and The World Bank), and Egyptians negotiators reportedly warned Ethiopian negotiators that there would be a consequence to Ethiopia if it fails to sign the agreement based on their proposal.
There appear to be diverging views among Ethiopian negotiators. Some want to return to Ethiopia before signing the document. Those who favor it argue that it is against international law to sign it under pressure and need to have extensive consultation back in Ethiopia.
The Ethiopian government has not updated the public officially at this writing regarding the progress of the negotiation.
Seleshi Bekele, Ethiopia’s Minister of Water, Irrigation and Energy, said in his twitter message on January 27 :
“The main elements of the technical results include principles, filling stages, retained volumes of water in the dam, reservoir operation, drought & its management, data exchange & coordination mechanisms. Lawyers, experts & ministers have arrived in DC”
A day after the last negotiation in mid January 2020, Ethiopian authorities expressed firm commitment saying that “Ethiopia has not, will not sign an agreement that compromises national interest.”
Sudan, another negotiating party, seems to have been convinced that the Ethiopian dam could actually be used for mutual benefits. And has been consistent though out the negotiation.
Join the conversation. Like borkena on Facebook and get Ethiopian News updates regularly. As well, you may get Ethiopia News by following us on twitter @zborkena
The World Bank was talking about the release of the finance not the release of the water as the Ethiopian delegation is saying. It seems like the Ethiopian delegation is intentionally creating disillusion about what the World Bank said , delaying the agreement from being reached as scheduled.
The World Bank negotiators donot have a say on things outside of our field of expertise . The method of how much water is released , how water is released , when water is released is not what we were referring to during the talk when we said the term “release”, what we were talking about with the delegates when we used the term ” release” was the release of the finance GERD constriction bond money the Ethiopian government is trying to keep holding longer than they agreed initially . It was found out that the Ethiopian government had so far sold more than seven times the amount of BOND money needed to construct GERD.
My fear is that this Ethiopian delegates and officials yield to this rhetorics and intimidation from this external force and sell the national interest of Ethiopia. Egyptian has been arguing till recently that they have absolute monopoly over the Nile river citing the old colonial era agreement they had with England which totally excluded upper riparian countries except Sudan. Over the course of this 7 years of negotiation attemp, each time Ethiopia somehow conceded and approached the middle ground, Egyptian has been modifying their stance so that every bit af the agreement assures their own interest only disregarding the interest of Ethiopia. We can take the term of filling years they modified as an example.
The so called neutral observers also are really not neutral. For obvious reasons they favour the interest of Egypt. They are those who signed a colonial era nile agreement with Egypt which disregarded Ethiopia. So how come we trust them as impartial. Rather they even would use their economic and political leverage internationally to make Ethiopia concede against it’s own national interests.
So in conclusion, I don’t think that this issue would be solved at least with the mediation of USA and WORLD BANK. If this issue need to be solved through negotiation, other neutral countries from Africa, Europe and Asia should be part of it. Ethiopia also should have firm stance on its own national interests and not yield unless there is a yield from the side of Egypt as well.
QUOTE: “Egypt and the “Observers” (The World Bank and The United States) views regarding how to release water during drought stands against the interest and sovereignty of Ethiopia. At the same time, it empowers Egypt to the extent of dictating terms on ways of releasing water, according to the report by Wazema.”UNQUOTE
Those 51 words are, in reality, the Alpha Omega of the Blue Nile and geared to the eternal position of Egypt for its own benefit, without considering the interest of the SOURCE of the NILE. This is NOT rhetoric. History remembers that Egypt and Great Britain — only the two countries — made an agreement among themselves with complete DISREGARD of those countries as source of the Nile. And here we are in the 21st Century, and for sure Egypt will continue to act as the quasi-owner and chief administrator of the Nile — with absolute disregard for the SOURCES of the Nile. Where that negative ATTITUDE leads is obvious and tragic. THE END
We don’t need there advice we start with GOD help without there help why now showing weakness?
No need to go and discussed this matter?
GOD prophecy is fulfilling king is coming to Ethiopia that time is near LONG live Ethiopiaye
We don’t want to beg them( world bank and US) to feed our starving people. we will use our God given resource to feed our people.
I hope and pray that level heads will prevail in this negotiation. The situation during the drought seasons should be considered. This is a lesson for all future endeavors by the old country in harnessing its natural resources for development hence for the good of its people. It is obvious that the old country has the intellectual horsepower it needs to take industrialization to the next level but it lacks the energy(electricity) to drive it home. The challenge the Blue Nile poses to the old country goes beyond the boundaries of sovereignty. As we speak it is the lifeline of millions who live outside its boundaries. There are other rivers that originate in its southern regions that millions in Somalia depend on for their survival. You see, that is what one of many other reasons I call the old country the gem of the colored. It shows The Almighty Our Creator Has His Grace On Her!!! That was the main reason that drove early regimes of Somalia into madness. In a sense sometimes such resources can be turn into a curse by outsiders. I am still not giving up. They should continue negotiating because if it fails and followed by open conflict tens of millions in Egypt and possibly in Sudan can be serious trouble. I mean deadly trouble and that will not be a pretty sight for the whole region. So every one of them needs to grow up. Wise up!!!!
The famous Egyptian song “The Nile is Nagashi”, and Nagashi is the historical ruler of Ethiopia. Meaning, the Nile is Ethiopia. And historically, Egypt is the gift of Nile. Likewise, Egypt is the gift of Ethiopia; otherwise it is a desert. From that angle, it could better be viewed that Egyptians would look at Ethiopia as the source of life; so cooperation is fundamental to ensure continuity of source of life.
Egypt has acknowledged the right for Ethiopia to develop in production of electricity, but the feasibility of the reservoir capacity of 75 Billion m3 should be reassessed with less capacity like 18 billion m3 with almost equal MW production. It is not the issue of surveillance; it is cooperation that eventually prevail and the agreement shall ensure such cooperation is beneficial for both the source of Nile and its eternal destination.
worldbinkokbankok is a modern capitalist and colonial master in the blanket of aid.
beawre of this embezzlment;
The GERD or the Blue Nile River delegated teams postponed the signing of the agreement to further study and resolve any implication whatsoever the water filling activities may have other purpose rather than humanity needs. Such as luxury or some scientifically research reasons.Signing and approval of the negotiation depends absolutely on the steadfastness of the Ethiopian Government on the objective of protecting Ethiopian rights and sovereignty over the Blue Nile River that may have serious problem for the generation to come. I would like to extend my respectful thankfulness commendable efforts on major issue to Prof. Muchie, Dr. Seid, Dr. Aklog, Dr. Semu, etc. More intellectuals are expected to involve to this cause. PM Abye and Pres. Trump’s talk may destroy the effort of the negotiators. Watch out Abye, would he sell out Ethiopian Sovereignty? In fact, he is doing for peace extra miles at the same time he is doing also somebody’s job. He is not delegating authorities and he is not performing his leadership duties. Why not the Africans solve their problems with the Africans? World bank is neo-colonialist capitalist master covered with blanket aid. Even what Trunp said to give that much money to funding Ethiopia is only lip service. Any penny that comes out the government must be approved by the Congress. Do you think they approve that much at once? They might not give it at once either. After all Blue Nile River is Ethiopian resources given by GOD not any other countries. Ethiopian’s GERD is built by Ethiopians. Egypt or the US doesn’t have the right to meddle with Ethiopian sovereignty. DON’T MESS WITH ETHIOPIAN’S PROPERTY. Watch out the lightning!!!
No need of considering the release of water status by billion of cubic and at time of drought seasons release of water from dam to downstream countries especial to Egypt in the negotiation as well as in the details of agreement due to lack clarity whether it maintain the interest and sovereignty Ethiopian. In addition, the observer, turned there duties to negotiator and influenced on Ethiopian representative which is not acceptable in any parameter. so as to the Ethiopia out of the negotiation and continues the constriction dam and fills initial stage of of reservoir by water to generate power on the basis of Technical studied early by group and Independent body……that not violate the all involved parties.