Egypt on denounced Ethiopia’s completion of the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam (GERD), warning that the move lacks any legally binding agreement and undermines the water rights of downstream countries.
The Egyptian Ministry of Water Resources and Irrigation issued a statement rejecting what it called “unilateral actions” by Ethiopia and said the dam’s completion violates international law.
The more than $4 billion hydropower project on the Blue Nile has been a long-running source of tension between Ethiopia, Egypt and Sudan. Ethiopia’s Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed announced Thursday that the dam, under construction since 2011, is now complete and due for official inauguration in September.
“Egypt firmly rejects Ethiopia’s continued policy of imposing a fait accompli through unilateral actions concerning the Nile River,” the ministry said, accusing Addis Ababa of seeking “water hegemony” instead of cooperation.
Despite 13 years of negotiations, the three countries have failed to reach an agreement on how the dam should operate, particularly regarding water releases during periods of drought. Egypt fears the dam could significantly reduce its share of the Nile’s flow, threatening agriculture and water supplies for its 100 million citizens.
The GERD is expected to generate more than 6,000 megawatts of electricity—doubling Ethiopia’s current output—and play a central role in the country’s energy and development goals.
Egypt said it is continuing efforts to manage its water resources through wastewater treatment, modernised irrigation, and partnerships with other Nile Basin states.
Azerbaijan is seeking to attract more European visitors by improving air connectivity and raising its profile as an international tourism des...
Russia says no plague cases have been detected among contacts of a laboratory worker who died in Siberia, with most tests negative for infectious d...
Space-agency chiefs and industry leaders met to discuss lunar exploration, satellite networks and orbital security on Tuesday as a major global spa...
Australian counterterrorism authorities are examining the links of the co-pilot accused of attacking the captain and attempting to take control of a flydubai flight bound for Israel. Authorities in New Zealand have also said they are investigating reports the suspect had spent time in that country.
Right-wing Brazilian Senator Flavio Bolsonaro will face leftist President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva in a runoff of the presidential election later this month, after he exceeded expectations in Sunday's first-round vote with a slight lead over the incumbent.
Russia says no plague cases have been detected among contacts of a laboratory worker who died in Siberia, with most tests negative for infectious diseases and many quarantined people already released.
Iran's Oil Minister Mohsen Paknejad has resigned, with Hamid Bovard, chief executive of the state-owned National Iranian Oil Company (NIOC), appointed as acting oil minister, according to Iranian state media.
Candidates elected to Bosnia and Herzegovina's three-member presidency declared victory after preliminary unofficial results showed Denis Becirovic leading the Bosniak seat, Darijana Filipovic ahead in the Croat seat and Zeljka Cvijanovic likely retaining the Serb seat.
Space-agency chiefs and industry leaders met to discuss lunar exploration, satellite networks and orbital security on Tuesday as a major global space congress entered its second day.
Police fired tear gas at protesters blockading French high schools on Tuesday as students, teachers and parents took to the streets on the biggest day of action in a wave of demonstrations against understaffed and dilapidated classrooms.
A large Ukrainian drone attack on Moscow and the surrounding region has killed two people, damaged homes and sparked a major fire at a key fuel facility, according to Russian officials and military bloggers.
Kenya has confirmed its first case of Ebola after a Kenyan citizen who had travelled from the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) died in Nairobi, prompting health authorities to launch an urgent contact-tracing operation.
A regional conference on Afghanistan in Moscow ended on Monday without a joint statement after Pakistan and the Afghan Taliban delegation failed to agree on wording about terrorism. It was the first time since the inaugural meeting that participants failed to issue a joint statement.
You can download the AnewZ application from Play Store and the App Store.
What is your opinion on this topic?
Leave the first comment