Addis Ababa and Cairo are once again locked in a fresh row over a controversial hydroelectric dam Ethiopia has been building over the Nile river since 2012.
The Foreign Affairs ministry in Addis Ababa on Thursday dismissed as irresponsible a statement by Egypt’s Foreign Minister Sameh Shoukry that his country reserves the right to defend its interest in the Nile.
Shoukry warned that “all options are open” to Egypt in its bid to pursue its interests which he claimed is undermined by the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam (GERD) being build on the river.
Egypt and to some extent Sudan are concerned that their natural share of water from the Nile may be compromised by the dam which Ethiopia dismisses as untrue.
Addis Ababa says the dam is necessitated by plugging its energy deficit and that of the region.
“Such a threat constitutes a flagrant breach of the United Nations Charter and Constitutive Act of the African Union, ” the Ethiopian ministry said in a statement reacting to Shoukry’s comments which many in Addis Ababa see as a tacit drumbeat for war.
This also stands as a clear violation of the agreement on the declaration of principles on the GERD signed on 23 March 2015 between Ethiopia, Egypt and Sudan, it added.
Egypt in its opinion ”must cease its callous and unlawful pronouncements”.
Ethiopia called upon all concerned actors to take note of what it called Egypt’s flagrant violation of principles of international relations, underscoring that no interest can be advanced through threats and intimidation.
”If approached in good faith and with full respect for principles of international law, an amicable solution between the three countries is within reach in the negotiations under the auspices of the African Union”, it stated.
“Yet again, Ethiopia reiterates its calls on the parties to re-engage the African Union platform and reach a negotiated solution on the GERD. On its part, Ethiopia remains committed to a win-win settlement of this matter”, the statement from Addis Ababa further noted.
MG/abj/as/APA