Will political tension in Ethiopia benefit Egypt's position on Nile dam dispute?
Egypt is patiently following up on the internal political and military developments in Ethiopia before taking any new position on the dispute over the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam.
CAIRO — Since President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi’s July 15 remarks in which he told Egyptians not to worry about any threat posed by the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam (GERD), tension and anger at Ethiopia’s unilateral move to fill the GERD without prior agreement with Egypt has subsided in traditional and social media.
Speaking at a conference launching the Haya Karima (Decent Life) project for the development of Egypt’s countryside, Sisi had said, “Everything will be alright. We have good plans, and there is no need to worry. … Egypt has never sought to threaten or meddle in other countries’ affairs.”
In addition to Sisi’s statement, which came as a calming message following a series of fiery statements against Ethiopia, diplomatic silence prevailed following the UN Security Council’s session to discuss the GERD crisis on July 8, during which no resolution or position on the GERD was taken. Meanwhile, Algeria’s initiative to resume direct talks between Egypt, Sudan and Ethiopia has also stalled.
Despite the relative calm currently surrounding the GERD issue in Egypt, the file remains on Sisi’s agenda during his official meetings. In a Sept. 4 press conference with his Cypriot counterpart, Nicos Anastasiades, Sisi pointed to Egypt’s continuous efforts to settle the GERD crisis in a fair manner and resume negotiations so as to reach a legal and binding agreement on the filling and operation of the GERD.
