Addis Ababa — “The Ethiopian dam on the Nile is a continuing threat to stability in the eastern Nile basin,” states a joint statement from Egypt and Sudan issued yesterday, September 3, at the conclusion of the meeting held in Cairo between the ministers of foreign affairs and irrigation of both countries.
“The consultations addressed developments related to the Ethiopian dam, and both sides agreed that the dam, which violates international law, has serious consequences for downstream countries and represents a continuing threat to stability in the eastern Nile basin under international law,” the statement reads.
The position of Cairo and Khartoum was made public just days before the inauguration of the imposing structure. In fact, the lavish official opening ceremony of the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam (GERD) is scheduled for September 9.
Follow us on WhatsApp | LinkedIn for the latest headlines
The day before the joint statement by Sudan and Egypt, Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed reiterated his country’s willingness to collaborate with Egypt and Sudan on managing the Nile’s waters, stressing that, now that the dam is completed, it guarantees a constant flow of water year-round to the two downstream countries, will prevent flooding, and will not cause any harm.
Cairo and Khartoum insist on reaching a binding trilateral legal agreement on its filling and management. The Egyptian government has invoked “unilateral measures” if such an agreement is not reached.
The Ethiopian prime minister, in a televised statement, described the Blue Nile as the “mother of all problems” that Ethiopia has faced for centuries, and stated that its exploitation through the GERD marks the end of an “age-old struggle.”
Tensions over the management of the Nile’s waters between Ethiopia, on the one hand, and Sudan and Egypt, on the other, risk spreading to other countries in the region, such as Somalia, where Cairo has a military presence that is certainly not welcomed by Addis Ababa.
