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Egypt ups political steps to counter Ethiopia over water crisis

Egypt is holding on to political escalation in the coming phase to face the Renaissance Dam crisis after the failure of negotiations with Ethiopia.
Fishermen hang their clothes out to dry on the banks of the river Nile in Cairo April 16, 2013. REUTERS/Asmaa Waguih (EGYPT) - LM2E96J0YTF01
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CAIRO — Secretary-General of the Arab League Ahmed Aboul Gheit transmitted a warning from the league to Ethiopia during the opening session of the fourth Arab Water Forum Nov. 26, saying, “Water security for Egypt — the biggest Arab country in terms of population — is part and parcel of the Arab national security.”

After announcing, on Nov. 12, the failure of negotiations to resolve the Renaissance Dam crisis with Ethiopia and Sudan, Egypt is now taking several measures to internationalize the Nile River quota crisis. Egypt mainly wants to establish an international coalition for the downstream countries harmed by the dam projects conducted by upstream countries. The measure was proposed during the Arab Water Forum, which was organized by the Arab Water Council and held in Cairo on Nov. 26-28, under the umbrella of the Arab League and in coordination with the Egyptian Ministry of Water Resources and Irrigation.

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