Ethiopian Minister of Irrigation Alamayo Tegno has said that his country’s Renaissance Dam could be beneficial to Egypt’s electricity sector despite the latter’s fears that the project, undertaken on the Blue Nile, could negatively affect its water security.
Tegno, in an interview with Al-Masry Al-Youm, maintained Ethiopia’s constant official rhetoric that its grand project would not bring any damage to Egypt’s water interests.
Tegno said he was optimistic with the recent round of talks by the inter-state panel formed by Egypt, Ethiopia and Sudan to conduct technical studies of the Dam. He maintained that his country, like the two other parties, would commit to the results achieved by the committee.
Asked about the importance of the Renaissance Dam to his country, Tegno said the project provides an advantage to the development of cooperation between Egypt, Sudan and Ethiopia, besides being his government’s scheme to combat poverty by seeking clean sorts of energy for Ethiopia and the region. He stressed that the use of Nile River waters should be fair and beneficial for the three countries.
The minister noted that the only dam being erected on the Nile Dam is the Renaissance Dam, but noted that other dams are being carried out at 12 other basins, designed so as not to cause any damage to downstream countries.
Tegno said he had brought up a proposal for an electricity linkage project between Ethiopia and other countries in the Nile Basin and the Arab region when he met with Egyptian President Abdel Fattah Al-Sisi, adding that the latter showed interest in Ethiopia’s offer to help resolve the electricity shortage crisis that has plagued the country for most of this year.
Asked to assess Egyptian-Ethiopian relations, Tegno stressed that ties between both countries are at their best, citing recent intensified meetings between Sisi and Ethiopia’s PM Hailemariam Desalegn.
Edited translation from Al-Masry Al-Youm
