Ethiopian envoy lauds Sudan’s stance on Nile dam, criticizes Egypt
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June 11, 2013 (KHARTOUM) – The Ethiopian Ambassador to Sudan Abadi
Zemo today praised the position of Khartoum with respect to the
controversial multi-billion dollar Renaissance Dam calling it an
"expected" and "honorable" stance.
JPEG - 41.2 kb
An Egyptian farmer holds a handful of soil to show the dryness of the
land due to drought in a farm formerly irrigated by the river Nile, in
Al-Dakahlya, about 120 km (75 miles) from Cairo June 4, 2013. (
REUTERS/Mohamed Abd El Ghany)
Speaking in a seminar at the Future Studies Center in Khartoum on
Tuesday, Zemo said that the dam is the largest project in Ethiopia
that would generate electricity to Nile Basin countries and other
benefits.
Zemo said that the topography of the region makes it impossible to use
the dam for any other purposes other than the production of electric
power.
The ambassador disclosed that Khartoum was prepared to send technical
consultants to monitor the dam building process and carry out any
treatments needed.
He emphasized that the trilateral committee comprised of his country
along with Sudan and Egypt confirmed in its confidential report that
there will be no negative impact on Egypt’s water share and poses no
threat of collapse given its mechanical design.
Egyptian officials have stepped up their rhetoric against the dam
project going as far as hinting of possible military action.
On Monday Egyptian President Mohamed Morsi said that Cairo did not
want "war" but would keep "all options open" to avoid losing any
water.
Morsi also said Egypt had carried out studies that showed the building
of the dam will result in less water flow while the reservoir is
filling. Once full, more water may evaporate.
Egypt, whose 84 million people use almost all of the Nile’s supply
that reaches them to meet their needs, cites colonial-era treaties
guaranteeing it the lion’s share of the water. Ethiopia and other
upstream neighbors say those claims are outdated.
But the Ethiopian ambassador strongly criticized the Egyptian position
saying said it was driven by the hostility to his country and
vehemently denied any Israeli role in the construction of the dam as
some Egyptian figures have suggested.
Zemo said that the hydroelectric power generated by the dam will
provide electrical power to Egypt and Sudan at prices less than the
current ones almost by half.
(ST)
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