Egypt skeptical of Ethiopia call for cooperation on Nile dam
Egypt sees Ethiopia’s latest call for cooperation over its controversial Nile dam as mere ink on paper, as Cairo continues to insist on resuming the negotiations to reach a legally binding agreement.
![A supporter of Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed holds a sign referring to the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam as a crowd waits to enter the stadium in Jimma, June 16, 2021.](/sites/default/files/styles/article_hero_medium/public/2022-01/GettyImages-1233483287.jpg?h=a5ae579a&itok=Y0Evp6jB)
CAIRO — Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed's call for cooperation over the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam (GERD) has raised questions about the extent of the Ethiopian administration's seriousness in re-engaging in negotiations that would achieve regional cooperation with Egypt and Sudan, despite the fundamental differences in the countries' positions over operating and filling the dam.
On Jan. 20, Ahmed posted a statement on his Facebook account, expressing his country's interest in adopting clean energy projects in light of the hydropower potential available to Ethiopia — despite the fact that, according to him, over 53% of the population lacked access to electricity.