Despite all international calls for discussing the dispute over the Renaissance Dam and stopping all work of the second filling, until a consensus was reached between the three countries concerned (Egypt, Sudan and Ethiopia), in addition to the declaration of the UN Security Council agreeing to hold a session devoted to this issue, Ethiopia announced that it will continue the second phase of filling the dam’s reservoir, according to the plan it had previously set. It is proceeding according to the planned schedule.
“The filling cannot be stopped technically!”
In turn, the Ethiopian ambassador to Khartoum, Ybeltal Amiru Almo, considered in a press conference today The purpose of the Renaissance Dam project is to produce electric power only, but the file has become politicized now, as he put it.
He stressed that his country cannot stop filling the dam from a technical point of view, saying: “Sudan and Egypt provide us with A request that cannot be fulfilled because the water will be automatically retained and they know it.” He accused the two countries of sticking to the “unjust” Nile waters agreement, as he described it, to prevent his country from benefiting from the resources.
He also pointed out that 65 million Ethiopians live in complete darkness, despite the fact that 85% of the Nile waters originate.
He pointed out that his country does not intend to inflict any harm on the Sudanese people, denying that anything related to the dam file was hidden from Khartoum.
The Nile River from the Ethiopian side (istock)
“Negotiations cannot continue”
This position came after the President stressed The Egyptian Abdel Fattah Al-Sisi, yesterday, Saturday, that negotiations with Ethiopia on the dam cannot continue indefinitely, stressing that his country seeks to reach a binding legal agreement in accordance with international norms and constants. Over the past months of negotiations, Addis Ababa refused to agree to a binding agreement in this regard, stressing at the same time that it would continue the process of the second filling this July.
It also criticized Cairo and Khartoum’s demand for international intervention in this regard, Inviting the Security Council to hold a session to discuss this matter A years-long dispute over Africa’s largest dam.
Security Council session
The presidency of the Security Council announced the holding of a session next Thursday on this outstanding file, after receiving a request from Egypt and Sudan due to Addis Ababa’s intransigence in reaching a binding and consensual agreement between the three parties.
Egypt submitted an official letter complaining about Ethiopia to the Security Council and declaring its objection to Addis Ababa taking a unilateral decision to fill in the second, as did Sudan a few days ago.
It is mentioned that the dam crisis It reached a dead end between the three countries, as Ethiopia insists on starting the implementation of the second filling amid objections from the downstream countries and the failure of African and international mediation to resolve the crisis.
