Harare — Egypt and Ethiopia have agreed to finalise an agreement over Ethiopia's contentious Blue Nile mega-dam within four months, marking a breakthrough after years of tensions between the two nations, according to AFP. Since Ethiopia began construction on the enormous U.S.$4,2 billion Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam (GERD) in 2011, Egypt has been concerned that the project may reduce the amount of water it receives from the Nile. Within four months, they decided "to initiate expedited negotiations to finalise the agreement between Egypt, Ethiopia and Sudan on the filling" of the dam and its operation. The filling and operation of the dam have been the subject of protracted discussions since 2011, but no agreement has been reached between Ethiopia and its downstream neighbours. Egypt, which depends on the Nile for 97% of its water demands, has long seen the construction as an existential danger.

Source: Ethiopian News July 14, 2023 21:36 UTC