Sudan’s Bashir vows to defend Egypt's Nile water share

By Mohammed Amin

KHARTOUM

Sudanese President Omar al-Bashir on Thursday vowed to prevent any reduction of Egypt’s historical share of Nile water due to Ethiopia’s construction of a massive hydro-electric dam on the Blue Nile River.

At a joint press conference held in Khartoum with Ethiopian Prime Minister Hailemariam Desalegn, al-Bashir reiterated his country’s longstanding commitment to a 1959 water-sharing agreement between upstream and downstream states.

“Sudan is totally committed to the 1959 agreement, which established the parameters for water-sharing between Sudan and Egypt,” he said.

“We can also ensure that Egypt will not be affected by the dam’s construction,” he added.

Desalegn, for his part, stressed Ethiopia’s desire to secure a degree of consensus with Egypt over construction of its Grand Renaissance Dam project.

“Since both countries signed a comprehensive framework agreement… we [Ethiopia, Sudan and Egypt] have been working together to resolve the issue,” he said.

Construction of the multibillion-dollar hydroelectric dam is currently underway on Ethiopia’s Blue Nile River near the Sudanese border.

Egypt fears that the project -- once completed -- will diminish its annual allotment of 55.5 billion cubic meters of Nile water as stipulated in the 1959 agreement.