Egypt and Ethiopia are at loggerheads over the construction of the
Grand Renaissance Dam, a $4 billion (£2.9 billion)-hydroelectric project
that Cairo fears will reduce waters that run to its fields and
reservoirs from Ethiopia’s highlands and via Sudan.
Addis Ababa
hopes the dam will make it a hub for the electricity-hungry region and
denies it will undermine Egypt’s access to water.
Ties between Egypt and Sudan were strained when Khartoum backed the dam because of its need for electricity.
“There’s
a need to accelerate the pace of negotiations after some three years or
more have passed since the signing of the preliminary agreement in
Khartoum and things have remained frozen,” Egyptian Foreign Minister
Sameh Shoukry told a joint news conference with his visiting French
counterpart in Cairo.
The three African neighbours are set to
meet on May 15 for further talks, Shoukry said, adding that Egypt had
initially proposed several nearer dates for negotiations, but they were
turned down by the two other countries.
“We continue to show
flexibility and continue in a positive direction, but taking into
account that we must achieve the progress that leads to achieving common
interests, and also that there is a time frame for all countries that
must be taken into consideration,” Shoukry said.
Earlier
this month, talks in Khartoum between Egypt, Ethiopia and Sudan failed
to reach agreement, but were described by the Sudanese foreign minister
as “constructive”.
The countries’ technical committees will meet on May 4, Shoukry said.
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Sunday 29 April 2018
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Egypt wants to speed up Ethiopia dam negotiations
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