Egypt hopes to receive technical studies' offers for the Renaissance Dam project from the two French consulting offices, BRL and Artelia, by the end of January in preparation for signing the official contracts before mid-February, said Irrigation Minister Hossam Moghazi on the sidelines of his visit to the Minya governorate on Monday.
The techinal studies are scheduled to begin immediately after the contract is signed with the consulting firm, thus completing the first phase of the road map that was adopted by the three countries, Moghazi said. He pointed out that the water studies for the Renaissance Dam would be completed within eight months of the start of the technical studies.
The water studies include the effects the project will have on Egypt's and Sudan's water shares. This consists of determining how much water will be stored, how long it will be stored and the operational mechanisms that will be used for storage. This knowledge will help to minimize the negative effects of the project on the two countries, the minister said, pointing out that social and environmental studies would follow.
Edited translation from Al-Masry Al-Youm
