Forty-seven percent of the Renaissance Dam has been completed, Ethiopian state TV quoted the Renaissance Dam project director, Simegnew Bekele, as saying Thursday.
The concrete and cement used so far amounts to 4 million tons out of an expected 10.5 million tons, said Bekele.
"Work on the dam is ongoing and non-stop," he added.
At the time of the announcement, Egypt's Water Resources Minister Hossam al-Moghazi stressed that negotiations are the only means to solve disputes between Egypt, Sudan and Ethiopia over the controversial dam.
Dialogue and negotiations are what solves any disagreements, Moghazi said. Egypt is studying all possible scenarios to ensure the seriousness of dialogue and wants to achieve joint cooperation between Egypt, Sudan and Ethiopia, he added.
Egypt is committed to the Declaration of Principles on the Renaissance Dam, signed with Sudan and Ethiopia in March in Khartoum, Moghazi said.
Moghazi added that stressing the importance of the three countries' commitment to the Declaration of Principles is an important safeguard for cooperation.
Edited translation from Al-Masry Al-Youm
