Source: Xinhua 2016-12-26 05:14:34
KHARTOUM, Dec. 25 (Xinhua) — Ethiopia on Sunday reiterated its commitment not to harm the rights of any Nile Basin countries, calling for optimal use of the Nile water.
Ethiopia’s minister of foreign affairs, Workneh Gebeyehu, also underscored at a press conference his country’s keenness to establish integrative relations with the Nile Basin countries to achieve joint interests.
Sudan, Egypt and Ethiopia signed Declaration of Principles in March 2015 in Khartoum regarding the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam (GERD), articulating the continuation of talks on political and technical issues, as well as conducting technical studies to protect the three countries’ shares in the Nile.
The GERD project unsettled Egypt as it fears the dam could impact its share in the Nile River waters, which amounts to 55.5 billion cubic meters.
Ethiopia reiterated that the dam would constitute a benefit in field of electricity generating without posing any harm on either Sudan or Egypt.
Projected to be the largest hydro-electric project in Africa, the GERD extends over an area of 1,800 square kilometers, and is expected to be completed in three years at a cost of 4.7 billion U.S. dollars.
Ethiopia awaits Egypt’s response to complaint regarding opposition groups
The Ethiopian government said it cooperates positively with Egypt, but awaits at the same time a response to a request it submitted to Egypt to stop the activities of opposition Ethiopian political groups that openly operate in Egypt, according to MENA.
The Foreign Minister of the Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia, Dr. Werkineh Gebeyehu, said in an interview with MENA in Khartoum on Sunday that the activity of such groups is not undercover. They hold meetings openly, provide statements to the media and work against the unity of Ethiopia, he added.
“Relations between the Ethiopian and Egyptian governments are good and cooperative. But we definitely notified Egypt about hostile groups to Ethiopia that reside in Cairo,” he said.
About the accusations against the Eritrean government with respect to backing the Ethiopian opposition, the Ethiopian official said: “The Eritrean government has been attempting to undermine security and stability in our country in different ways. This is not our belief alone, as the United Nations also believes that the Eritrean government [has] obstructed the work of the African Union for many years, and has always been trying to violate our borders, but the Ethiopian army completely controls the situation.”
“The international community is familiar with such information, that’s why we exert pressure on the Eritrean government to stop its violations against our country,” the Ethiopian foreign minister added.
Concerning the development of relations with Gulf countries recently, he said Ethiopia adopts a foreign policy that aims to establish good relations with all countries of the world, based on common interests and on maintaining the security of the region. He added that the development of relations with Gulf countries comes on this basis, pointing out that relations with Gulf countries were already established 50 years ago.
“We have agricultural land in Ethiopia and great investment opportunities, as our country is inherently attractive to investments. Gulf states have the desire and ability to invest, and we signed bilateral investment agreements with Qatar and the United Arab Emirates.”
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