War of Words Between Egypt and Ethiopia Over Dam Project

Ethiopia's parliament has ratified a treaty that would replace colonial-era agreements that gave Egypt and Sudan the biggest share of the Nile's water. (Getty Images) Deutsche Welle
The row between Egypt and Ethiopia over water from the River Nile goes back many years. Now it is escalating as Ethiopia forges ahead with the construction of a huge dam. But there is more to the dispute than just water.
For decades Egypt and Ethiopia have been at loggerheads over the question of water rights and the River Nile. Ousted President Mubarak made it plain that any attempt by Ethiopia to restrict Egyptian access to the Nile would leave his country with no alternative to “confrontation, in order to defend our rights and our lives.”
Mubarak’s successor Mohammed Morsi is no less emphatic. “We do not want a war, but we are keeping all options open,” he said.
The response from the late Ethiopian prime minister Meles Zenawi was succinct. “If Egypt wants to prevent Ethiopia from using water from the Nile, then it must occupy our territory – and that’s something no country in the world has ever done.”
His successor Hailemariam Desalegn added recently that “nothing and no one” would stop construction of the dam.
Read more at Deutsche Welle.
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Ethiopia Ratifies River Nile Treaty
By Associated Press
Updated: Thursday, June 13th, 2013
ADDIS ABABA, Ethiopia — Ethiopia’s parliament on Thursday ratified an accord that replaces colonial-era deals that awarded Egypt and Sudan the majority of the world’s longest river.
The vote comes amid a bout of verbal jousting between Ethiopia and Egypt after Ethiopia last month started to divert Nile waters for a massive $4.2 billion hydro-electric dam dubbed the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam.
Construction of one of the world’s largest dams has Egyptians worried and talking of war.
Ethiopia’s growing economy frequently suffers from power cuts and needs more electrical capacity. But Egypt fears the dam will mean a diminished share of the Nile, which provides almost all of the desert nation’s water needs.