A high-profile delegation of technical experts is heading Tuesday to Addis Ababa to attend a meeting to discuss Egypt’s concerns related to the Ethiopian Grand Renaissance Dam, which Egypt fears will affect its portion of Nile River water.
The meeting will fulfill a declaration of principles adopted during a meeting by foreign affairs and water ministers from Egypt, Sudan and Ethiopia in Khartoum in late December.
The three countries have been struggling to eliminate disputes over consultancy firms being sought to conduct technical studies of the dam’s impact. But disagreements also remain concerning Egypt’s demands to halt construction at the dam, which is reportedly 50 percent complete, until studies are finished.
Egypt fears the dam will affect its historical Nile water share of 55 billion square meters, which it has had access to since a 1959 agreement with Sudan. Ethiopia, meanwhile, has frequently reassured Cairo that its water share will not be affected.
Edited translation from MENA
