A dispute between Egypt and Ethiopia on the Great Ethiopian Renaissance Dam (GERD) has resurfaced although both countries are busy fighting the coronavirus outbreak.
Addis Ababa announced this week that it would start filling GERD on the Nile River by next autumn, disregarding Cairo’s repeated warnings on unilateral steps.
An Egyptian source told Asharq Al-Awsat on Thursday that Foreign Minister Sameh Shoukry is adamant to resume contacts with several countries to explain Cairo’s position on the dam and the efforts it exerted in the past years to reach an agreement with Addis Ababa.
Dr. Hani Raslan, an expert on Sudan at Al-Ahram Center for Political and Strategic Studies in Cairo, told Asharq Al-Awsat that Ethiopia is trying to create a fake crisis to use it internally.
Last month, Shoukry visited 16 Arab, European and African countries to deliver a message from President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi after Ethiopia refused to attend a meeting in Washington, at the end of February, which was dedicated to conclude a final agreement regarding the rules for filling and operating the dam.
The Arab League Council has voiced rejection of any infringement on Egypt’s historical rights to the waters of the Nile River.
On Wednesday, Egyptian Ambassador to Kenya Khaled el Abyad delivered a message from Sisi to Kenyan President Uhuru Kenyatta.
This week, Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed said the filling of the dam will kick off during the rainy season, despite coronavirus challenges.
The announcement compelled Sisi to hold a high-ranking meeting with Prime Minister Mustafa Madbouli and chief of the General Intelligence Service Abbas Kamel, in the presence of foreign, defense and irrigation ministers.
A statement issued after the meeting did not give any details about the Renaissance Dam.
However, Presidential spokesperson Bassam Rady said the officials discussed measures to beef up security along Egypt’s borders and combat terrorism, in addition to the latest developments in a number of regional issues amid “challenges threatening security in the region.”
