Wednesday, December 13, 2017

Egypt ups political steps to counter Ethiopia over water crisis

Walaa Hussein December 7, 2017

ARTICLE SUMMARY

Egypt is holding on to political escalation in the coming phase to face the Renaissance Dam crisis after the failure of negotiations with Ethiopia.

REUTERS/Asmaa Waguih

Fishermen hang their clothes out to dry on the banks of the Nile River in Cairo, April 16, 2013.

CAIRO — Secretary-General of the Arab League Ahmed Aboul Gheit transmitted a warning from the league to Ethiopia during the opening session of the fourth Arab Water Forum Nov. 26, saying, “Water security for Egypt — the biggest Arab country in terms of population — is part and parcel of the Arab national security.”

After announcing, on Nov. 12, the failure of negotiations to resolve the Renaissance Dam crisis with Ethiopia and Sudan, Egypt is now taking several measures to internationalize the Nile River quota crisis. Egypt mainly wants to establish an international coalition for the downstream countries harmed by the dam projects conducted by upstream countries. The measure was proposed during the Arab Water Forum, which was organized by the Arab Water Council and held in Cairo on Nov. 26-28, under the umbrella of the Arab League and in coordination with the Egyptian Ministry of Water Resources and Irrigation.

Egyptian and Arab officials talked about the internationalization of the Renaissance Dam issue on the sidelines of the Arab Water Forum.

Saudi Prince Khalid bin Sultan, the honorary president of the Arab Water Council, called for holding a water summit to face water piracy and terrorism. He said in his speech, “Water terrorism is as dangerous as any other kind of terrorism. We have to be armed with all methods to fight it.” He added that a force is needed to prevent water extortion.

Aboul Gheit noted that the Arab League is following up on the talks between Egypt, Sudan and Ethiopia with concern. He said, “We do not feel Ethiopia is willing to coordinate and cooperate much. Ethiopian plans to operate the dam and use its water for irrigation are still vague and worrying.”

Meanwhile, a meeting is scheduled in Cairo between Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi and Ethiopian Prime Minister Hailemariam Desalegn at a date to be decided on, some time in mid-December. Desalegn will address the Egyptian parliament and discuss the Renaissance Dam establishment on the Blue Nile and Egypt’s concerns of the negative repercussions on its water share.

On Dec. 4, 19 members of parliament submitted a memorandum to Egyptian parliamentary speaker Ali Abdel Aal refusing to welcome Desalegn in parliament, as the visit could give Ethiopia the upper hand in international forums over Egypt.

Mahmoud Abu Zeid, the head of the Arab Water Council and former minister of water resources and irrigation, told Al-Monitor, “The Arab Water Forum discussed — with government officials and water experts representing 22 Arab and African countries in different sessions — ways to deal with conflicts over water shares in the Middle East and North Africa region.” He indicated that the council is trying to develop a global coalition of downstream countries to face the dominance and control of upstream countries with transboundary rivers over water.

Hussein el-Atifi, the coordinator of the forum and former minister of water resources and irrigation, told Al-Monitor, “Upstream countries like Ethiopia believe the agreements regulating the management of shared rivers with their neighbors conflict with their desire for sovereignty and control of river resources.”

One of the forum's sessions — titled “Shared Water Resources” — discussed the actions of Ethiopia, a state from which 22 rivers flow, against seven of its neighbors that share rivers with it. Al-Monitor attended the session in which an official Somali convoy took part. Abdullah Elmi Mohammad, the head of the Somali Center for Water and Environment, explained the damages on Somalia due to Ethiopia’s construction of the Melka Wakena Dam on the Shebelle River.

During the session, Abu Zeid elaborated on Ethiopia’s construction of 15 dams, excluding the Renaissance Dam, on the shared rivers with seven neighboring countries without consulting anyone, which constitutes a threat for these countries’ water security. There are four dams on the Blue Nile shared with Sudan, South Sudan and Egypt; the Upper Atbara Dam that is shared with Eritrea and Sudan; four dams on Awash River shared with Djibouti; two dams on Shebelle River shared with Somalia; and three dams on Omo River shared with Kenya.

Abu Zeid noted, “The total annual hydropower capacity in Ethiopia is about 3,696 megawatts. Ethiopia's current export of electricity, its national hydropower annual potential of 45,000 MW generated from all its rivers and its plans to export electricity generated from the new 6,000 MW of the Renaissance Dam confirm that the country does not need the power it wants to generate from the Renaissance Dam for local demand.”

Ashraf Badr, the media adviser at the Arab Water Council, told Al-Monitor, “Ethiopia’s greed to produce hydroelectric power from dams aims at monopolizing the energy export markets rather than fulfilling local demand.”

Somalia's Minister of Irrigation Salim Aliyu told reporters on the sidelines of the forum, “Somalia is currently negotiating with Ethiopia through the East African Community to reach an agreement on the joint management of transboundary rivers.”

Egypt started mobilizing Arab support on the Renaissance Dam issue through various steps. Egyptian Foreign Minister Sameh Shoukry met with his Saudi counterpart, Adel al-Jubeir, on Nov. 14, and the Egyptian Foreign Ministry issued a statement saying that the kingdom understands the Egyptian concerns about its water security. The Egyptian government also issued a statement Nov. 15, in which it affirmed that it has taken the necessary measures at all levels because its water security is one of the pillars of its national security.

Egypt’s former Minister of Water Resources and Irrigation Hossam Maghazi told Al-Monitor, “Egypt’s political escalation in the Renaissance Dam issue has become necessary. With the dead end that the technical negotiation path has reached, Ethiopia seems ready to start filling the dam reservoir in 2018.”

Found in:WATER SUPPLY AND DISPUTES

Walaa Hussein is the editor-in-chief of the parliamentary news division at Rose al-Yusuf. An expert in African affairs, Hussein has collaborated with the Nile Channel, writing and preparing newscasts. On Twitter: @walaahuseen

Egypt warns of false reports about Ethiopian dam - Egypt Today

By: MENA

Tue, Dec. 12, 2017

PARIS - 12 December 2017: Minister of Irrigation Mohamed Abdel Aati on Tuesday warned against circulating wrong information on Egypt regarding the Ethiopian dam and the use of Nile water.

At a seminar held in the French Senate on the role of diplomacy in settling disputes related to the Nile River, he added that Egypt has sent a letter to the World Bank asking it on behalf of eastern Nile Basin countries to finance studies on setting up the first dam on the Blue Nile.

While studies are underway, another dam was announced to be set up, he said, noting that not so many people are aware of this information.

An international company was hired to compile two studies on the dam. Meanwhile, the Ethiopian side asked for introducing amendments into the preconditions of the contract and inserting new articles, he added.

It was important to keep the Egyptian public opinion posted about all these developments, he said, adding that the Declaration of Principles that was signed by Egypt, Sudan and Ethiopia calls for referring any would-be dispute to the ministerial level to be settled. If not, it could be referred to the level of foreign ministers and then to the presidential level, he added.

Referring the issue to the ministerial level took five months. The dispute was also referred to the higher level in accordance with the Declaration of Principles, he added

Saturday, November 25, 2017

Egypt, Sudan and Ethiopia tensions over dam flare up again | News & Observer

In this Oct. 6, 2017 photo, boats sail on the Nile River in Cairo, Egypt. Tensions between Egypt and upstream Nile basin countries Sudan and Ethiopia have flared up again over the construction and effects of a massive dam being built by Ethiopia on the Blue Nile, the waterway’s main tributary. Egypt fears the dam will reduce its vital share of the river’s waters and accuses Addis Ababa of not sufficiently cooperating on containing the dam’s effects. Amr Nabil AP Photo

BUSINESS

Egypt, Sudan and Ethiopia tensions over dam flare up again

Associated Press

NOVEMBER 23, 2017 08:59 AM

UPDATED NOVEMBER 23, 2017 09:00 AM

CAIRO

Tensions between Egypt and upstream Nile basin countries Sudan and Ethiopia flared up again Thursday over the construction and the effects of a massive dam being built by Ethiopia on the Blue Nile, the waterway's main tributary.

A mostly desert nation of some 100 million people, Egypt fears the dam would reduce its vital share of the Nile waters and accuses Addis Ababa of not sufficiently cooperating on containing the dam's effects. Egypt and Sudan have historically been allies, but a dispute over ownership of a border strip has poisoned relations, with the Egyptian media now routinely accusing Khartoum of taking Ethiopia's side in the dispute over the dam.

Differences over the Ethiopian dam, which is 62 percent complete, is potentially destabilizing and could add a new and dangerous layer to the turmoil already ravaging the region. Military action by the Egyptians to halt the construction of the dam is unlikely, though not impossible, but if the three nations don't closely cooperate to limit its effects, their relations would be fraught with tension and distrust for many years to come.

Seeking to portray Egypt as a bullying neighbor, Sudan's foreign minister this week said Cairo was only unhappy about the dam because it would stop it from using some of Sudan's own share of the river's waters.

"It's high time Egypt pays what it owes and for Sudan to get its full share," said Ibrahim Ghandour, the minister.

Egypt responded late Wednesday, with Foreign Minister Sameh Shoukry dismissing as inaccurate his Sudanese counterpart's comments. The timing of his comments, said Shoukry, was suspicious given the negative fallout from the failure by the three Nile-basin nations to endorse a technical report prepared by an independent company on the likely effects of the dam.

"You cannot talk about water relations between two countries in terms of credit and debt ... and it seems suspicious to raise this issue at this point of time," Shoukry told Egypt's official MENA news agency.

On Thursday, Ethiopia's Foreign Ministry responded to a recent comment by Egypt's president that the river's water is a matter of life and death to his country. The "Renaissance Dam" meant life or death to its country, too, said the ministry.

"We will continue to work with Sudan and Egypt for a fair and equitable use of the Nile water. This water source is the key to alleviating hunger and reach a level of development that other countries have reached," the Ethiopian ministry said, seeking to reassure the Egyptians.

Egypt publicly recognizes Ethiopia's developmental needs and the value of the dam to the east African nation, but it maintains that "water is a matter of life or death" for it. To Egypt, the most alarming effect of the dam is the length of time it would take the Ethiopians to fill the large water reservoir behind it. Egypt wants this to be a gradual process that would not dramatically reduce the volume of water reaching it.

"No one can touch Egypt's share of water," Egyptian President Abdel-Fattah el-Sissi said last week in a thinly-veiled threat to Ethiopia. A week earlier, he made a stern warning to the Ethiopians. "We are capable of protecting our national security and water to us is a question of national security. Full stop," he said, but did not elaborate.

Ethiopia denies receiving funding from Qatar to build Renaissance Dam – Middle East Monitor

November 24, 2017 at 3:09 am | Published in: Africa, Egypt, Ethiopia, News, Sudan

Renaissance Dam in Ethiopia [file photo]

November 24, 2017 at 3:09 am

On Thursday, Ethiopian Foreign Ministry spokesman Meles Alem defended the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam project, she said that Addis Ababa does not need anyone’s permission to benefit from its natural resources and denied claims that his country is receiving funding from Qatar to build the Dam.

In a press conference with local media in the Ethiopian capital Addis Ababa, Meles stressed that the reports published by some Egyptian newspapers do not affect the construction work in the dam, pointing out that the percentage of these works’ implementation exceeded 60 per cent.

He added that what was published by some Egyptian media that Ethiopia is getting funding from Qatar for the construction of the Renaissance Dam is unfounded and he considered it “unacceptable,” stressing that the dam is built using the Ethiopian people’s funds.

He also pointed out that along with the construction works in the Renaissance Dam project, Ethiopia will continue to cooperate with Sudan and Egypt in the upcoming stages.

The spokesman added: “The 17th meeting on the Renaissance Dam ended in Cairo few days ago without consensus because of Egypt’s intention to include the colonial era agreements of 1929 – 1959 as part of the negotiations.”

Last week, Egypt announced that it has frozen technical negotiations with Sudan and Ethiopia following a tripartite meeting in Cairo, after Egyptian officials rejected the two countries’ amendments to the studies of the French Advisory Bureau on the Dam and its filling as well as operation.

Over the past few days, the Renaissance Dam matter drew the attention of all Egyptian newspapers and TV programs, both governmental and private.

Last Saturday, Egyptian President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi said that no one could touch Egypt’s water share, stressing that it is a matter of “life or death,” in his first comment after his country announced the suspension of negotiations.

Egypt fears possible negative impacts of the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam on its 55.5 billion cubic meters share of water, while Addis Ababa says the dam is not aimed at harming Egypt. The electricity which would be generated by the dam will help eradicate poverty and boost Ethiopia’s developmental Renaissance.

Ethiopia has been criticizing old conventions that it said took place during colonial times, including the 1929 Convention, the 1953 Convention and the 1959 Convention.

The Convention of 1929 was signed by Egypt with the UK on behalf of “Sudan, Uganda and Tanzania,” as the three countries were under British occupation back then. It granted Cairo veto power over any project on the Nile in the upstream countries and Egypt’s natural and historical right in the Nile waters.

Egypt signed the 1953 Convention with the UK on behalf of Uganda regarding the construction of Owen Reservoir at the exit of Lake Victoria. The convention ensured that the construction and operation of the dam would not reduce the amount of water which reaches Egypt, modify its arrival date to Egypt or reduce its level in a way that might cause damage to Egypt’s interest.

As for the 1959 Convention, which Cairo signed with Khartoum, it includes full control of the Nile waters which reach the two countries. It also includes the approval of Egypt’s establishment of the Aswan High Dam, south of the country, and Sudan’s establishment of Roseires Dam on the Blue Nile.

It also concerns Egypt’s possession of its acquired right of 48 billion cubic meters of the Nile waters per year, as well as Sudan’s right of 4 billion cubic meters of the Nile waters per year and the distribution of the water benefit from the 22 billion cubic meters of the High Dam water per year to the two countries, so that Sudan gets 14.5 billion cubic meters and Egypt gets 7.5 billion cubic meters, bringing the annual total share of each country to 55.5 billion cubic meters to Egypt and 18.5 billion cubic meters to Sudan.

Thursday, November 23, 2017

#EBC ከታላቁ የሕዳሴ ግድብ ጋር በተያያዘ ኢትዮጵያ ከሱዳንና ግብፅ ጋር ተባብራ መስራትዋን እንደምትቀጥል የውጭ ...

Egypt's Nile water share a 'matter of life or death,' says Sisi after Ethiopia dam negotiations stall - Politics - Egypt - Ahram Online

Ahram Online , Saturday 18 Nov 2017

Egyptian President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi during a televised talk during an inauguration of MENA's largest farm in Kafr El-Sheikh (Photo: Al-Ahram)

Egypt's Sisi to meet with Ethiopian PM in December to discuss deadlock over dam studies

Regional ministers fail to reach agreement on Ethiopian dam studies report

Egypt would suffer most if Ethiopian Dam concerns are not met, Shoukry tells Gebeyehu

Egypt’s share of the Nile's water is a "a matter of life or death for the nation," Egyptian President Abdel-Fattah El-Sisi said on Saturday in his first comments on the Ethiopian Grand Renaissance Dam (GERD) since negotiations between Egypt, Sudan, and Ethiopia stalled over the project last week.

In televised comments during the inauguration of the Middle East's largest fish farm in Kafr El-Sheikh, El-Sisi said Egyptians should "rest assured " since “no one can touch Egypt’s share of [Nile] water.”

"We've talked to our brothers in Sudan and Ethiopia from the very beginning about three points, including not touching the water [of Egypt's share]," he said.

The president added that he understands the developmental goals behind the GERD, but that development for Ethiopia in this case is a "matter of life and death" for Egypt.

Last week, negotiations between the three countries broke down over how to conduct technical studies of the dam's potential impact on downstream countries.

Egyptian officials have expressed concern over repeated delays, especially given that construction of the dam is already well underway.

Next month, President El-Sisi and Ethiopian Prime Minister Hailemariam Desalegn are scheduled to meet in Cairo to discuss the deadlock.

The dam, situated near Ethiopia's border with Sudan, is slated for completion this year and expected to generate 6,000 megawatts of electricity.

Ethiopia hopes to be able to export electricity generated by the dam, which will be the largest hydroelectric power plant in Africa.

Egypt, however, has expressed concerns that the dam might reduce its share of Nile water.

Ethiopia maintains that the dam will not have any negative impact on Egypt or Sudan.

Wednesday, October 18, 2017

Presidents Set For More Talks On The Nile

Importers' dollar demands continue to weaken...

Centre for Social Research in run for early...

By Gerald Tenywa

Added 16th October 2017 01:16 PM

Egypt and Sudan, which are favoured by two colonial agreements of 1929 and 1959 were opposed to the fresh agreement (Cooperative Framework Agreement opened for signing in May 2010) on grounds that it does not recognise their historical rights.

NILE BASIN IMPASSE

A new move to fast track the resolution of the impasse over sharing of the waters of River Nile will involve regular meetings of presidents in the countries sharing the Nile Basin.

This follows a recommendation from the Nile Summit which was chaired by President Yoweri Museveni and convened at State House, Entebbe, three months ago.

“The heads of state provide the highest level of engagement on Nile issues,” said Sam Cheptoris, the Minister of Water and Environment in Uganda, adding that the Summit at Entebbe wanted to constitute the heads of states in the Nile Basin Initiative (NBI) and meet regularly.

He was speaking at the Nile Council of Ministers (Nile-Com) convened at Imperial Botanical Resort Beach, Entebbe last week. Nile-COM is the highest decision-making organ on all political and development matters relating to the Nile Basin Initiative.

The meeting was attended by Ministers in charge of Water Affairs from Burundi, Sudan and Uganda. Ethiopia, Kenya, Rwanda and Tanzania sent representatives.

The countries in the catchment of the Nile are Uganda, Burundi, Rwanda, Tanzania, Kenya, South Sudan, Sudan, Egypt, Eretria and DR Congo. Eretria is an observer.

Egypt and Sudan, which are favoured by two colonial agreements of 1929 and 1959 were opposed to the fresh agreement (Cooperative Framework Agreement opened for signing in May 2010) on grounds that it does not recognise their historical rights. Both countries pulled out of NBI but Sudan later agreed to return. The countries in the Nile Basin have been discussing to resolve outstanding issues for Egypt to participate in the NBI meetings.

NBI is a framework which was set up in 1999 is a Programme of the 11 countries funded by several donors including the World Bank, GIZ and EU. It has been facilitating the meetings of the ministers and technical negotiators. It was expected to produce two outcomes; the Nile Cooperative Framework and the Nile Basin Commission.

The meeting on Thursday came up with NBI’s 10-year Strategy referred to as the new strategy, approved by the Nile Council of Ministers (Nile-COM). The strategy captures the development goals of the NBI, considering the prevailing context and challenges in the Nile Basin as well as priorities in the catchment of the Nile.

“These have been conceptualized into six goals; namely increasingly hydropower, development and power trade; improving food security; protecting and restoring ecosystems across the basin,” said Kebede Gerba, State Minister, for Water, Irrigation and Electricity of Ethiopia.

“The other goals are improving basin resilience to climate change impacts; strengthening trans-boundary water governance in the Nile Basin as well as enhancing availability and sustainable management of trans-boundary water resources of the Nile Basin.”

Ethiopia’s Minister of Water, Irrigation and Electricity, Dr. Eng. Sileshi Bekele replaced Uganda’s Minister of Water and Environment, Sam Cheptoris. Ethiopia will chair both the Nile Council of Ministers and the Nile Technical Advisory Committee of the NBI for the next one year.

The Nile-COM is the highest decision-making organ on all political and development matters relating to the Nile Basin Initiative. The meeting was attended by Ministers in charge of Water Affairs from Burundi, Sudan and Uganda. Ethiopia, Kenya, Rwanda and Tanzania sent representatives.
“The River Nile is one of the world’s great assets. As such, cooperation is not a choice, but a necessity, if we are to achieve its sustainable management and development. This is important for Member States to jointly address the shared challenges such as climate change and environmental degradation,” said Gerba.

He said the Nile Basin Development Forum will be hosted by Rwanda on October 23-25, 2017. Rwanda will also host the Nile Media Awards ceremony on October 23, 2017 as well as a Strategic Dialogue Forum between NBI and development partners on October 26, 2017.

Ministers of Egypt, Sudan, Ethiopia inspect Renaissance Dam - Egypt Today

Water supply ministers of Egypt, Sudan, and Ethiopia at the construction area of the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam – Press Photo by Egyptian Ministry of Irrigation and Water Supply

CAIRO – 17 October 2017: The Water supply ministers of Egypt, Sudan, and Ethiopia visited the construction area of the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam on Tuesday. They met to check up on the construction progress by visiting six sites that lie inside, outside, and at the borders of the reservoir.

The ministers and the members of the technical committee listened to the project manager give an overview of the constructions at the right and left sides of the dam.

The manager stressed on Ethiopia’s eagerness to secure its needs from energy and push for economic development while fulfilling the interests of the Nile Basin countries.

This visit aims to follow up on the studies recommended by the International Panel of Experts regarding the effects of the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam on the Nile Basin States.

Since the beginning of the dam's construction in 2011, the upstream countries, Egypt and Sudan, opposed the technical studies of the dam as it would decrease their share in the Nile water resources by 55.5 billion cubic meters and 18.5 billion cubic meters respectively.

However, Ethiopia denies that other downstream countries will be adversely affected by the dam and the prospect of war was raised in 2013 and 2014.

President Abdel Fatah al-Sisi signed a tripartite joint cooperation agreement in Khartoum on March 23, 2015, between Egypt, Sudan and Ethiopia. The three countries held 14 rounds of consultation on resolving the disputes over the Renaissance Dam. However, these rounds failed to solve the dispute.

Consequently, the Nile Basin countries asked the French firm Artelia Group to join the French consulting group BRL Ingénierie in 2016, while they study the documents of the dam’s construction; assessing the hydrological, environmental, and economic impact of the mega project on the downstream countries

Monday, October 9, 2017

Egypt: ‘Obstacles’ threaten agreement over Ethiopia dam – Middle East Monitor

Egypt: ‘Obstacles’ threaten agreement over Ethiopia dam

October 5, 2017 at 2:14 pm | Published in: Africa, Egypt, Ethiopia, News, Sudan

Constriction work on the Renaissance dam in Ethiopia on 21 August 2015 [Sigma PlantFinder/Twitter]

October 5, 2017 at 2:14 pm

Egyptian Foreign Minister Sameh Shoukry said that there are obstacles threatening the tripartite “Declaration of Principles” signed in March 2015 by Cairo, Sudan and Ethiopia over a dam being built by the latter on the Nile River.

Shoukry’s remarks came in an interview with the state-run Al-Ahram newspaper yesterday, where he said Egypt “couldn’t overcome” these obstacles.

The minister noted that the agreement includes Ethiopia’s acknowledgement of the do-no-harm principle in a document signed with the Ethiopian Prime Minister Hailemariam Desalegn. The document also stipulates that “Egypt acknowledges the dam and Ethiopia’s developmental needs and Sudan would be a third party in this equation,” Shoukry added.

“The agreement includes the acknowledgement by the three parties that any repercussions resulting from the [construction of] the dam must be approved by a non-biased party so that conflict will not occur, and the non-biased entity would refer to purely scientific considerations, and scientific facts and equations that are not subject to interpretation.”

The Egyptian foreign minister also commented on the technical aspect, pointing to “slowness” and “obstacles” that could not be overcome at the technical or political levels. He said that these obstacles “threaten the principles that the tripartite agreement were based on” without giving details on the nature of those obstacles.

In line with another deal reached in September 2016, the three parties to the agreement are awaiting the results of a technical report that is being prepared by two consulting companies on the Ethiopian dam and the damage it could cause to other countries that share Nile waters, mainly Egypt.

Read: Egypt urges Ethiopia to ‘honour commitments’ on dam

The technical report must be completed before the dam is fully constructed, Shoukry told Al-Ahram, because it will affect any decisions related to the phase of filling the dam and the rules that will be adopted for operating it.

“Achievements on this path are not at the pace we hope for, and we urge our partners in Ethiopia and Sudan to interact in a way that will create confidence, reinforce agreements and avoid any confrontation.”

“At the same time, we know very well what our interests are and the threats that we might be subjected to, and we act in every phase in line with developments. We do not pre-empt events or assume things in a theoretical manner, but that does not mean that we do not prepare ourselves for any orientation, disagreement or approach.”