Egypt Watch

Egypt sees no hope in continuing negotiations with Ethiopia

In talks he held with the chairperson of the African Union Commission, Moussa Faki, Arega added, “We have a firm position on the necessity of continuing negotiations between Ethiopia, Egypt and Sudan under the auspices of the African Union.” On Tuesday, the Ethiopian Foreign Minister, Mesganu Arega, said that Egypt’s attempt to politicize the Nile and the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam would not benefit any party. Addis Ababa, which says it has completed 90% of the dam’s work, is preparing for its fourth filling. In talks he held with the chairperson of the African Union Commission, Moussa Faki, Arega added, “We have a firm position on the necessity of continuing negotiations between Ethiopia, Egypt and Sudan under the auspices of the African Union.” On Tuesday, the Ethiopian Foreign Minister, Mesganu Arega, said that Egypt’s attempt to politicize the Nile and the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam would not benefit any party.

The Ethiopian Foreign Ministry said that the country does not need permission to carry out the filling and that the dam will not harm either Egypt or Sudan, explaining, “In conjunction with any filling process, a campaign is launched against us to distort our image and portray us as a country that does not respect international laws.” The Egyptian Ministry of Foreign Affairs denounced Ethiopia’s statements, stressing that “the continuation of negotiations for ten years without results is evidence of Ethiopian intransigence.” It added, “The continuous Ethiopian claim that Egypt has politicized the issue of the Renaissance Dam is an attempt to evade legal responsibility and disregard the principles of international law.”