Ethiopia, Egypt Still at Odds over Dam IssuesJuly 2, 2017 - Egyptian foreign minister Sameh Shoukry stated that Cairo is the main party that could be affected by the construction of Ethiopian Grand Renaissance Dam (GERD) if Egypt's concerns are not taken into consideration, according to Al haram. The Egyptian foreign minister Sameh Shoukry told this to his Ethiopian counterpart, Workneh Gebeyehu, Saturday on the sidelines of African Union preparatory meetings. Shoukry stressed that March 2015’s declaration of principles signed between Egypt, Sudan and Ethiopia affirms clearly the necessity of committing to the outcomes of studies on the possible effects of the dam on downstream countries. Cairo has expressed concerns that the construction of the dam, which is more than half-way complete, could negatively affect Egypt's share of Nile water. Addis Ababa, however, has maintained that the dam project, which Ethiopia says is vital for generating electricity, will not harm downstream countries, with Gebeyehu assuring Egyptians in April during a first-time Cairo visit that Ethiopia will never harm the Egyptian people and their interests.

Source: Ethiopian News July 01, 2017 12:22 UTC