Ethiopia FM in Egypt to discuss Nile dam with officials

By Mahmoud al-Husseini

CAIRO

Ethiopian Foreign Minister Workneh Gebeyehu arrived in Cairo on Wednesday to discuss issues of mutual concern -- including Ethiopia’s Grand Renaissance Dam -- with Egyptian counterpart Sameh Shokri, according to a diplomatic source.

It is Gebeyehu’s first visit to Egypt since his appointment last November.

“Talks are likely to focus on bilateral relations and the Nile water issue,” the source said, speaking anonymously due to restrictions on talking to media.

According to local media reports, the two men will also discuss the findings of a joint technical committee tasked with studying the dam’s anticipated effects.

Shortly before Gebeyehu’s arrival in Cairo, Egyptian Water Resources Minister Mohamed Abdel Ati set out for Ethiopia, where he hopes to promote cooperation -- especially in the field of irrigation -- between Egypt and the Nile Basin states.

Egypt fears that Ethiopia’s dam, which is slated for completion later this year, will adversely affect its historical share of Nile water -- assertions dismissed by Addis Ababa.

Reporting by Mahmoud al-Husseini; Writing by Mahmoud Barakat