Assistant Foreign Minister for African Affairs Mona Omar has announced that the third round of negotiations over Nile water consumption quotas would be held next month in Sharm el-Sheikh.
"We are in daily contact with the countries of the Nile Basin in hopes of arriving at a mutually acceptable agreement," she said.
On the issue of the proposed construction of dams in Nile Basin countries–which some fear could affect Egypt’s traditional share of Nile water–Omar said: "The agreement puts conditions for building dams on member states. As long as these dams don’t violate the agreement, they can do us no harm."
She went on to deny that Prime Minister Ahmed Nazif’s recent visit to Ethiopia had been a failure, as some voices in the local independent press have contended. "The visit strengthened our relations with Addis Ababa and created a number of fresh opportunities for Egyptian businessmen to invest in Ethiopia," said Omar.
Translated from the Arabic Edition.
