عربي English Türkçe اردو فارسى
Logo
Latest News
Arab World

GERD: Egypt Adheres to Negotiations, Ethiopia Once Again Proposes to Share Waters

The Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam as it appears in a satellite image taken on July 20, 2020 (AFP)
The Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam as it appears in a satellite image taken on July 20, 2020 (AFP)
TT
20
TT

GERD: Egypt Adheres to Negotiations, Ethiopia Once Again Proposes to Share Waters

The Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam as it appears in a satellite image taken on July 20, 2020 (AFP)
The Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam as it appears in a satellite image taken on July 20, 2020 (AFP)

Ethiopia has once again disputed Egypt’s hegemony over the Blue Nile waters.

It wants a recently formulated final agreement to include sharing the Nile waters, affirming that Egypt receives the biggest share.

Ethiopian Foreign Minister Gedu Andargachew stressed that downstream countries reject Egypt’s hegemony over the use of the Nile waters.

“Ethiopia needs to build the mega-dam and must reflect the realism about the use of the Nile River,” his country’s official press agency quoted him as saying.

GERD is a slogan for all Ethiopians, he noted, expressing pride that his country is working to complete such a mega project with its own capabilities.

Addis Ababa could generate up to 30,000 megawatts of hydroelectric power from the Nile River, the FM stressed, adding that “this tremendous potential will enable the country to deliver electricity to all Ethiopians, expand industrial complexes, and create job opportunities, as well as improving services.”

Meanwhile, Egypt affirmed its adherence to the course of negotiations taking place among Addis Ababa, Cairo, and Khartoum on the rules for filling and operating the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam (GERD).

Spokesman of Egypt's Ministry of Irrigation and Water Resources Mohamed al-Sibai said the African Union (AU)-sponsored talks are ongoing.

He pointed out that the three countries exchanged proposals for the final text of the agreement and chose both “legal and technical representatives from each country to participate in the merging of the three texts.”

Sibai noted that the unified final agreement is expected to be handed over to the AU Chief and South African President, Cyril Ramaphosa, on Friday.

In a statement published on Monday, the spokesman refused to speak about the talks taking place.

Cairo fears the potential negative impact of GERD, which Addis Ababa is constructing on the Nile River, on the flow of its annual share of the Nile’s 55.5 billion cubic meters of water especially that it relies on it for more than 90 percent of its water supplies.

Addis Ababa, however, says the dam is not aimed at harming Egypt or Sudan’s interests, stressing that the main objective is to generate electricity to support its development.

Most Viewed

 
Arab World

SDF Responds to ISIS Attacks in Eastern Syria

Members of the SDF in the Deir Ezzor countryside. (Asharq Al-Awsat file)
Members of the SDF in the Deir Ezzor countryside. (Asharq Al-Awsat file)
TT
20
TT

SDF Responds to ISIS Attacks in Eastern Syria

Members of the SDF in the Deir Ezzor countryside. (Asharq Al-Awsat file)
Members of the SDF in the Deir Ezzor countryside. (Asharq Al-Awsat file)

Suspected ISIS cells have escalated their activities in eastern Syria’s Deir Ezzor province, staging a series of attacks on security posts and imposing extortion fees on local residents, sources said on Thursday.

Military, security, and civil sources in northeastern Syria said ISIS remnants launched coordinated assaults in recent days, including a rocket-propelled grenade (RPG) attack on a security center in the town of Diban, marking one of the most intense waves of violence in the area since the start of the year.

“The cells have become increasingly active, with suspicious movements observed following multiple attacks on checkpoints and security facilities,” one local source said. “They are using intimidation tactics and extorting civilians.”

In a statement on Thursday, the Internal Security Forces, known as Asayish, confirmed that one of their centers in Diban, located in the eastern countryside of Deir Ezzor, was attacked late Wednesday night.

“ISIS-affiliated militants on motorbikes launched an RPG and opened fire on our post in Diban,” the statement said.

Although ISIS lost its territorial control in Syria in 2019, sleeper cells continue to operate in remote desert areas, targeting security forces and civilians in ambushes and hit-and-run attacks.

Farhad Shami, head of the Syrian Democratic Forces’ media center, told Asharq Al-Awsat that the Diban attack was one of two coordinated strikes carried out by ISIS-linked cells.

“In the first incident, ISIS fighters used medium-range weapons and rocket-propelled grenades against an Asayish checkpoint in Diban,” Shami said. “Our forces quickly intervened and fought back, forcing the cell to withdraw.”

In a second attack, militants targeted an SDF military vehicle in the nearby town of Jadid Akidat, also in eastern Deir Ezzor, firing an RPG and small-arms rounds at the patrol, Shami said.

“The response was immediate. Our units unleashed heavy fire on the attackers, compelling them to retreat, leaving several of their members wounded,” he added.

A United Nations report published in July last year estimated the number of ISIS fighters in Syria at between 3,000 and 5,000, many of whom are believed to be hiding in the rugged terrain between Syria and Iraq.

The group's enduring presence has raised concerns among regional authorities and international observers about a potential resurgence, particularly in areas where security forces are stretched thin.