October 23rd 2019 (Nyamilepedia) – Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed, Nobel Peace Prize winner, threatened on Tuesday that if there is a need to go to war with Egypt over the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam (GERD), his country is “ready” to mobilize millions of its people for it.
However, the 43-year-old Ethiopian leader further stated that only negotiations would solve the dispute over the giant dam.
“There are some talks about the use of force (by Egypt), we need to assert that there is no power that would prevent Ethiopia from establishing the GERD. If some fire a missile, others could use bombs, this is not an interest of any of us,” Ahmed said.
The Prime Minister’s remarks came during a parliament hearing on Tuesday over the GERD.
Egyptian President Abdel Fattah Al-Sisi is expected to meet with Ahmed on the side lines of the Russia-Africa Summit in Russia’s Sochi which will kick off on Wednesday.
On the other hand, Egypt’s Foreign Minister Sameh Shoukry said that Russia may help solve the GERD problem after the failure of Egypt, Sudan, and Ethiopia to reach an agreement on the dam’s filling and operation.
“Russia can strengthen the need for the parties to adhere to these principles and rules, has close relations with Egypt and Ethiopia, and has the ability to influence them positively through its status as a superpower and permanent member of the Security Council, as well as through its close bilateral relations with Egypt, Sudan. and Ethiopia,” Shoukry said.
The statements came n an interview in Cairo with the Russian agency Sputnik on the occasion of the Africa-Russia summit which will be held in the Russian resort city Sochi on 23-24 October.
“We do not wish to develop any tension in East Africa, especially with regard to the negative implications of the issue for stability and peace in East Africa beyond the regional environment in general,” he added.
