Ethiopia began diverting the Nile River towards the disputed Grand Renaissance Dam 36 days ago, Sudan’s Foreign Minister Ibrahim al-Ghandour said on Sunday, following a flurry of Egyptian press reports that emerged on Saturday purporting the diversion had just been made.
Egyptian media only learned of Ethiopia's actions on Saturday, Ghandour said on the sidelines of a meeting by the ministers of foreign affairs and irrigation from Egypt, Sudan and Ethiopia at the Sudanese capital.
But while sources close to the negotiations said the diversion of the river represents “an imposition of a fait accompli”, Egypt’s Water Resources and Irrigation Minister Hossam Moghazi said, “the [recent] diversion of the Nile River was a normal redirection to the river’s old stream.” The minister explained that the measure allows water to flow beneath the dam for the first time, adding that the stream had already been diverted when construction on the project began two years earlier.
"Ethiopia is seeking to convey a message to Egypt that it is proceeding with the Renaissance Dam and is going to store water with the next flood,” said former Irrigation Minister Mohamed Nasr Eddin Allam. “It is telling us to deal with reality.”
Cairo and Khartoum have largely been in unsuccessful talks with Adis Ababa over the technical studies that are meant to ensure that the dam's undertaking, announced in 2010, is not a threat to their water interests.
During Sunday's meeting, Ethiopian foreign minister Tedros Adhanom reiterated his country's commitment to a declaration of principles achieved by the three states in March, in which Adis Ababa pledged to preserve Cairo and Khartoum’s water security. The latter countries fear the undertaking will affect their historical water share obtained under a 1959 agreement.
Edited translation from Al-Masry Al-Youm
