By Patricia ZengerleWASHINGTON (Reuters) - The United States had decided to cut $100 million in aid to Ethiopia amid a dispute with Egypt and Sudan over a megadam that Ethiopia is building on the Nile, a congressional source told Reuters on Wednesday. Ethiopia, Sudan and Egypt have been locked in a bitter dispute over the filling and operation of the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam (GERD), which remains unresolved although the reservoir behind the dam began filling in July. "State has decided to cut assistance" due to Ethiopia’s position on GERD negotiations, the source told Reuters via email. The United States and Ethiopia have long been close allies, with Ethiopia often working in tandem with the U.S. officials against Somali Islamist insurgents. Ethiopia says the $4 billion dam will generate electricity and help lift its population of 109 million people out of poverty.

Source: Ethiopian News September 02, 2020 16:25 UTC