Egypt’s water minister says country facing 'critical phase'
In an interview with Al-Monitor, Egyptian Minister of Water Resources and Irrigation Mohamed Abdel Ati said that Cairo was working on finding solutions to the Renaissance Dam dispute that would satisfy all involved countries.
CAIRO — Egyptian Minister of Water Resources and Irrigation Mohamed Abdel Ati, who took office March 23 as part of the Cabinet reshuffle by the government of Sherif Ismail, has told Al-Monitor that Cairo is studying various solutions to resolve the Renaissance Dam crisis with Ethiopia. While he wouldn’t reveal details about these efforts, he indicated that Cairo is hoping for “full cooperation” with other Nile basin countries and would be focusing on solutions beneficial for all.
Negotiations between Egypt, Ethiopia and Sudan regarding the specifics of the dam have faced numerous challenges since they began years ago, and the tripartite talks are now stumbling on a new obstacle: the required technical studies. The studies are aimed at determining the extent of the damage the dam will cause downstream in Egypt and Sudan after operation begins.
