Ethiopian PM: Nile war unlikely, lest Muslim Brotherhood go insane (+Video)

(Zeryhun Kassa)

The construction of the Renaissance Dam is a major undertaking of Ethiopia to lead the country the way out of poverty and no one has the power to halt the construction project, Prime Minister Hailemariam reiterates the stance of his government.

Prime Minister Hailemariam slammed recent provocative comments of Egyptian politicians of the Muslim brotherhood as a distraction to escape the strong domestic opposition they face for some time now.Ethiopian PM Hailemariam Desalegn

He demanded Egyptian politicians to reconsider their unhelpful stand on the Renaissance Dam which can generate 6000 MW of electric power.

He said for Egypt to go to war over the Nile issues there should be the maddest leaders in the country. He encourages them to come to cooperation and negotiations to benefit the two friendly people.

He admired the support Sudan has shown all through the way since the construction begins two years ago adding Sudanese Foreign Minister who came to Ethiopia on Tuesday reaffirmed his countries position on the dam. He lauded Sudan for being cooperative and for recognizing the benefits of the dam to the downstream countries.

He assures his government’s commitment to cooperate on the Nile water issues so long as it recognizes fair share of Ethiopia of the water resources.

Prime Minister Hailemariam reminds Ethiopia has remained cooperative on the Nile water issues. That is what Ethiopia has done so far in relation to the Nile waters, he noted. Ethiopia has gone long distances by cooperating for the impact study that has included experts from the Sudan, Egypt, and Ethiopia while it involves four international experts to make the process as transparent as possible.

The expert study, he underscored, attests Ethiopia’s position that the dam has a lot of benefits to the downstream countries despite claims otherwise on the side of Egyptian politicians and the media there.

Source: ERTA – June 12, 2013, titled “Hailemariam: Egypt goes to war over Nile only if leaders go mad”.

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Daniel Berhane

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