Egypt cultivates Burundi in shadow of Nile dam crisis

Cairo is intensifying its diplomatic and political contacts with various African countries in an effort to gain support in Egypt's dispute with Addis Ababa over the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam.
Evariste Ndayishimiye, Sisi
President Evariste Ndayishimiye of Burundi (L) met March 24 with Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi (R) in Cairo. Here, Ndayishimiye delivers a speech during the funeral of Burundian President Pierre Nkurunziza, who died at the age of 55, at the Ingoma stadium in Gitega, Burundi, on June 26, 2020, while Sisi speaks during a press conference with French President Emmanuel Macron at the Elysee presidential palace on Dec. 7, 2020, in Paris. - TCHANDROU NITANGA/AFP via Getty Images (L) / MICHEL EULER/POOL/AFP via Getty Images (R)
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A correspondent in Egypt

CAIRO — Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi recently welcomed Burundi's president, Evariste Ndayishimiye, to discuss the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam crisis, among several issues. It was yet one more move Egypt has been making lately to gain support for its position regarding the dam. 

Sisi spokesman Bassam Radi said in a press statement that Egypt seeks to strengthen relations with Burundi, especially at the economic, commercial, security and military levels.

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