Egyptian Prime Minister Ahmed Nazif is scheduled to meet today with Kenyan Prime Minister Raila Odinga for talks about cooperation among Nile Basin countries.
Minister of Agriculture Amin Abaza will head the mission of honor accompanying Odinga. Minister of Irrigation and Water Resources Mohamed Nasr el-Din Allam was orignally scheduled to lead the delegation, according to government sources, who say the change could be perceived as an indirect Egyptian response to assertions by Odinga that Nile water issues would not be on the agenda during the visit to Egypt.
Kenya has supported a new initiative sponsored by upstream Nile Basin states that will reduce Egypt’s share of Nile water.
In related news, Joseph Kabila, the president of the Democratic Republic of Congo, arrived in Cairo yesterday for a four-day-long official visit. President Hosni Mubarak will receive Kabila during his stay.
As disagreements over the distribution of Nile water continue, Foreign Minister Ahmed Abul Gheit has denied accusations that Egypt’s foreign policy has neglected African and Nile Basin countries, causing the current tensions.
Abul Gheit said in a press conference yesterday with his Pakistani counterpart Egypt has stronger diplomatic representation in Africa than most countries.
“I think we’ll develop a vision for the ways to deal with each other very soon,” Abul Gheit said, referring to the Nile Basin disagreements.
Arab League Secretary General Amr Moussa has also waded into the Nile Basin issue. “There’s solution for every problem,” said Moussa. “The current situations doesn’t call for desperate but for work, cautious and good management of the Nile water.” Moussa also said that the Arab League is willing to take a role in mediating the Nile water negotiations.
Translated from the Arabic Edition.
