July 6,2021 — Egypt has said it received an official notice from Ethiopia that it had started the second phase of filling a huge Dam on the Nile River’s main tributary, arousing high tensions between concerned countries before the upcoming meeting of the United Nations Security Council on the matter.
![Egyptian president Abdel Fattah al-Sisi [right] and Ethiopian Prime Minister Dr. Abiy Ahmed [tight] (Photo credit: unknown)](https://i0.wp.com/www.nyamile.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/06/unnamed-1.jpg?resize=750%2C448&ssl=1)
Sameh Shoukry, Egyptian Foreign Minister recently accused Ethiopia of being reluctant to negotiate on table, a policy which he believes frustrated their collective endeavors to reach consensus over the giant controversial Dam.
Ethiopia says the project is all about the development but Cairo and Khartoum fear that the move could reduce their water share in the Nile.
However, Ethiopia in her part argued that a senior official working at the water ministry said adding water to the reservoir especially during downpours by August and July is a natural part of the construction.
“Filling goes in tandem with the construction”, Said senior official working at Ethiopia water ministry. Added ” If the rainfall is as you see it now in July, it must have begun.Â
Egyptian President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi warned Ethiopia earlier this year that Cairo would not entertain any actions that would undermine Egypt’s water share from the Nile.
He said that all options are welcomed “should Egypt’s share be ” touched”, calling on Addis Ababa to cooperate with Cairo and Khartoum to avoid the diplomatic deadlock over Dam.Â
The Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam (GERD) is the source of long-term diplomatic standoff between Ethiopia and downstream Nations Sudan and Egypt. The opposing Dam is regarded as Africa’s largest hydroelectric project when completed.
