Egypt Warns Against Loss of Nile Water to Ethiopian Dam

Egyptian President Mohamed Morsi has warned he will not allow a large Ethiopian dam project to reduce his country's share of water from the Nile River.

In comments carried on Egyptian state television Monday, Morsi said the country can not let "one drop" of water be affected, and vowed to take steps to ensure water security.

Ethiopia says there is no reason for Egypt to worry about the hydroelectric dam, which is being built on the Blue Nile, a main Nile River tributary.

Ethiopia's water minister says the dam's construction poses no threat to Egypt or Sudan, which both depend heavily on the Nile.

Both countries have expressed concern that the dam will leave them without enough water to support their populations.

Last week, protests erupted at the Ethiopian embassy in Cairo after Ethiopia began diverting the Blue Nile to allow for construction of the nearly $5 billion dam.

More than two-thirds of the Blue Nile originates in Ethiopia. However, colonial-era treaties gave Egypt and Sudan the majority of water from the tributary.

Ethiopia began constructing the dam two years ago with a goal of becoming a main power producer in Africa.