US President Donald Trump’s recent remarks that Egypt may resort to military action to resolve the Nile dam dispute have addressed a point that Cairo has always officially been keen to avoid.
Ethiopia on Saturday summoned the US ambassador over what it called an “incitement of war” between Ethiopia and Egypt from Trump over their dispute about the filling and operation of a massive hydropower dam.
Trump called on Friday for an agreement between the countries, but added it was a dangerous situation and that Cairo could end up “blowing up that dam”.
Ethiopia, Sudan and Egypt have been locked in a bitter dispute over the filling and operation of the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam (GERD), which remains unresolved although the reservoir behind the dam began filling in July.
Egypt says it is dependent on the Nile for more than 90% of its scarce fresh water supplies, and fears the dam could have a devastating effect on its economy.
Observers interpreted Trump’s controversial remarks as a greenlight for Egypt to carry out military action over the dam.
However, member of Egypt’s parliamentary defense and national security committee, Kamal Amer said the American leader’s statements “do not reflect Egypt’s intentions.”
“Egypt distances itself from such remarks,” he told Asharq Al-Awsat.
“Egypt will continue to pursue a fair and binding agreement through all peaceful means - and they are many. It refuses to use force against its African brothers,” he stressed.
Expert at the Al-Ahram Center for Political and Strategic Studies, Hani Raslan, said Trump’s statements were more of a “strong warning” and “violent message” to Ethiopia rather than a declaration of Egyptian military action.
Trump was urging the need to reach a negotiated solution “even though he implied that the American administration was not averse to military action and it does not rule it out should Ethiopia continue to refuse any agreement,” he added.
He lamented that Washington was so late in making such a strong statement, explaining that had it done so months ago, perhaps a deal over the dam could have been reached and Ethiopia would not have been so emboldened.
Ultimately, Raslan tied Trump’s statements to the upcoming November US presidential elections, which means “they have little impact in making any changes on the ground.”
Despite Egypt’s denials that it will not pursue military action over the dam dispute, media reports emerge ever so often that it may be taking steps in that regard.
In June, South Sudan denied reports that it has agreed to an Egyptian request to set up a military base in Pagak city that is close to the Ethiopian border.
Egyptian President Abdul Fattah al-Sisi soon after urged media in his country to refrain from speaking of any military action against Ethiopia. On Saturday, he stressed that Cairo was “waging a long negotiations battle.”
