The news was met with a lot of media hype in Cairo where many people genuinely believe the Nile waters should be reserved for their use and Ethiopia has little need for it. Thus many see the dam project as an assault on their lives and/or part of some sort of conspiracy.
The Egyptian media also gives insight to several relevant issues. For example, the International Panel of Experts is not expected to present final conclusions today and there may be difference among the experts.
Here are some of the items I collected from Egyptian sites (mostly Arabic) on Wednesday and Thursday. (The Arabic texts were translated using google translator, then further edited where the accurate meaning can be discerned from context)
Note that most of the items below are extracts and the sub-titles are mine.
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Party leader: “recall Ambassador from Addis Ababa”
Mohamed Anwar Sadat, leader of reform and development, called upon President Mohamed Morsy to immediately summon the Egyptian ambassador in Ethiopia for consultation.
He also suggested to start reviewing scenarios to deal with the crisis of the construction of the Renaissance Dam, including through popular pressures inside Ethiopia and Ethiopia’s “Islamic” neighboring countries such as Eritrea and Somalia, which don’t have a good relationship with Ethiopia.
The move comes in protest against the decision of the Ethiopian side yesterday to change the course of the Blue Nile in an abrupt manner. Sadat said that we are striving to create a pleasant atmosphere with countries that have ignored the former regime and worsened relations with them, especially the Arab states surprised by Ethiopia to carry out the entry stages of construction of a dam renaissance without respecting international conventions or even waiting for the report of the Technical Committee trilateral supposed to end of its report soon.
[Almesryoum News(Arabic)]
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“Ethiopia did not appreciate the president’s visit”
Ayman Abul Ela, Secretary of Egyptian Democratic Party, said that the conversion of Ethiopia, the River Nile, to complete the construction of a dam Renaissance, confirms that they did not appreciate the recent visit of President Mohamed Morsy and declare defiance of Egypt and the Egyptians pointing to the importance of dealing with the crisis of the Nile bearing seriously.
Abul Ela said in a press statement issued on Wednesday, the political forces in various denominations to form a delegation officially orientation in an urgent visit to Ethiopia, and dialogue with its political leadership and to find a peaceful solution to the crisis of the Nile River before the crisis to worsen because the nex option will be the military option.
Abul-Ela The completion of the Ethiopian Renaissance Dam threatens Egyptian national security, where the deficit is expected to reach Egypt’s share of water to 34% of its share, including an estimated 19 billion.
He pointed Abul Ela that Ethiopia did not deal with President Mohamed Morsy properly from the beginning. He was greeted by Secretary of mining Ethiopian, while the Prime Minister of South Africa, was received by Ethiopian Prime Minister, and the end of the announcement Ethiopia complete construction of a dam Renaissance upon his return to Egypt directly .
[Gate-Ahram (Arabic) and AlMesryoum (Arabic)]
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“International Panel of Experts will recommend further studies”
Alaa al-Zawahiri, former member of the Egyptian National Technical Committee to study the Renaissance Dam, said to Anatolia (Turkish news agency) two days ago that the International Panel of Experts will recommend in its report further studies on the effects of operating the dam on my share of Egypt and Sudan of Nile water.
Zawahiri says that “the studies made by the Ethiopian side were not sufficient to show that the damage to Egypt due to the construction of the dam,” which will push the Tripartite Committee to claim additional studies carried out by international experts in the Committee, and the number 4 experts. “
The Committee is composed of 6 members of the local, (two each from Egypt, Sudan and Ethiopia), and 4 international experts in the fields of engineering dams and water resources planning, and hydrological business, the environment, and the social and economic impacts of dams.
[Alwafd (Arabic)]
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“The Super-powers listen to Ethiopia not to Egypt”
Attia Essawy, an expert in African affairs, said that Cairo should “persuade the Ethiopian government to lengthening the period of filling the lake behind the dam will consist Renaissance.”
“If we can convince them to fill in the reservoir on 40 or 30 years or even 20 years, it will reduce the damage that will hit both Egypt and Sudan, but if determined to be filled in the next five or seven years, it means drying between 61 to 65 billion cubic meters was up to Egypt and Sudan of the total 85 billion, “according to Issawi.
Issawi warned againt carrying out any military action or sabotage Egypt against the dam, recalling the strength of relations between Ethiopia and the international powers superpowers, particularly the United States and Britain. He said: “you should know that it will drag on Egypt a lot of problems and you should be aware Cairo that the super-powers are supporting Ethiopia and listen to her not to Egypt. “
[Sky News Arabia (Arabic)]
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“Ethiopia [has] a long-term strategic plan of deception”
Hani Raslan, head of the Sudan and Nile Basin Ahram Center for Political and Strategic Studies, said Ethiopia insulted the Egyptian state and its political leadership after the announcement this morning announced the launch of building of the Renaissance dam, following the visit of President Mohamed Morsy to Ethiopia and without advertising what they mention towards the dam.
Raslan made the remarks in his interview with the media Mahmoud Aruary, the “Event Egyptian” broadcast on the channel “Arab event”.
He added that what Ethiopia is doing with Egypt is part of a long-term strategic plan of deception, which has been followed by Ethiopia in dealing with Egypt and Sudan, including the International Panel of Experts .
He said that Ethiopia did not provide complete studies on the dam to the International Panel of Experts , which was formed to study the dam, and this committee will submit its report soon because of the lack of information to the Commission.
[Moheet (Arabic)]
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“Israel is professional in the theft of water”
Dr. Khaled Alameddine, adviser to President Mohamed Morsi for Environmental Affairs article, on Tuesday evening: “enviable Israel and Egypt on the Nile River and its role in Africa and Ethiopia, Zionist hands mess there strongly”.
He commented, in an interview with channel «cbc», that the decision of Ethiopia to transfer the course of the Blue Nile, which flows to the main Nile River, marking the start the actual process of building the dam Renaissance, saying: « Israel’s policy and play all the tendons and know they are running Egypt national security in another direction and invisibly».
He also noted that “Israel is professional in the theft of water, they steal water from Jordan and Syria and also secretly takes from the tanks in Sinai, Egypt”.
He said that the Nile water file failed in his administration under the previous regime, pointing out that there was a kind of ‘chaos and misjudgments after the revolution, which led to the weakness of the Egyptian position in dealing with this matter.
[Moataz (arabic)]
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“Hold a trial for the negligence in Egypt’s national security”
Hani Raslan, head of the Sudan and Nile Water Basin department at Centre for Political and Strategic Studies, stated on private Egyptian television channel Dream that the situation reflects an attempt by the government, and primarily Egypt’s irrigation minister, Mohamed Bahaa El-Din, to disseminate inaccurate information about the negative impact the building of the dam would have.
“They have hypnotized Egyptian society, making the issue seem much smaller than its repercussions will be.”
Raslan called on Prime Minister Hisham Qandil to take urgent measures to contain the crisis, which he argued necessitates a trial to hold accountable those responsible for the negligence in Egypt’s national security.
(Ahram – English version)
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“Mild damage to Egypt’s interests is possible”
Mohamed Idris, Egyptian ambassador in Addis Ababa, told Ahram Online on Tuesday…[ that]:
“We are pursuing a win-win scenario in which the interests of both sides can be served and accommodated”.
The possibility of only mild damage to Egypt’s interests is possible because the water to be stored behind the dam will only be used to generate electricity and not for irrigation.
“There are several factors that should be taken into consideration and will be decided upon by technical experts. We are expecting Ethiopian officials to make good on their promise to act in a way that will not harm Egyptian interests. It is not impossible”.
(Ahram – English version)
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“The government said it has set different scenarios of action”
The Cabinet met on Wednesday 29/5/2013 to discuss Ethiopia’s move to divert the course of the Blue Nile as part of its project to establish the Renaissance Dam.
The Cabinet said that construction measures going on for a while now do not reflect any approval by Egypt to build the dam. Egypt is waiting for a report by the trilateral committee on the Ethiopian dam project to be issued within days.
Cairo’s initial stance is against this project or any other that might affect the flow of water to the downstream countries. The government said it has set different scenarios of action based on what the technical report will say.
Cairo and Khartoum are fully coordinating efforts in this regard, the Cabinet said.
(Egypt State Information Service – English version)
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Blue Nile diversion – “just a purely engineering measure”
Minister of Water Resources and Irrigation Mohamed Bahaa Eddin said what was done by Ethiopia was just a purely engineering measure which takes place in the sites of building dams and aims at preparing the site for construction measures.
He said transferring the water course does not mean that Egypt has approved the building of Renaissance Dam as Egypt still waits the report of the three member technical committee.
He said Egypt’s principled stance is that it cannot accept any project that negatively affects the water current flow.
He said there are many scenarios for dealing with the expected results based on the technical report which will be submitted to the Arab League .
(Egypt State Information Service – English version)
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“Egypt and Sudan may go to the Arab League”
Kamal Hassan, Sudan’s Ambassador to Egypt and the Arab League, said that Egypt and Sudan may go to the Arab League to discuss Ethiopia’s diversion of the Blue Nile. He pointed out that there are constant contacts between Sudan and Egypt to discuss the resolution the Ethiopian sudden.
Engineer Abdul Nabi Abdul Ghani said High Dam’s electricity production plant will be affected by higher production of electricity due to the diversion of the Blue Nile, because it depends in operation on the level of the water pump, and if Say attributed at least produce electricity.
Dr Mahmoud Abu Zeid, a former irrigation minister to divert the course of the Blue Nile is normal, but the most serious step is the construction of the Renaissance Dam itself what it will entail serious consequences, calling on the Egyptian government should take immediate action to save what can be saved, he said.
[Ahram (Arabic)]
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Party leader: “Expel of the ambassadors of Israel and Ethiopia”
Engineer Adel Fakhry Daniel, the leader of Integrity and former candidate for the presidency, the need to expel the Israeli ambassador and Ethiopian from Egypt objection to target the life and future of Egyptians innocent and the necessity of taking a stand Egyptian unified against hostile action directly led by Israel and the Ethiopian government against the people of Egypt to prevent access to the Nile waters to Egyptian territory.
He explained Daniel that this criminal behavior is tantamount to a declaration of war Ethiopian supported by Israel, which oversees planning and manages the construction of a dam Renaissance years ago and they took advantage of the opportunity weakness of current political leadership.
It was decided during the meeting included members of the Israeli Mossad with the head of the Ethiopian government during the past few days on Ethiopian territory was after the announcement of the start of the diversion of the Nile immediately after the return of President Mohamed Morsy into Egyptian territory to show severe disability in the possibility of Muslim Brotherhood leadership in containing the crisis resulting from the loss of 30% of the electricity and the lack of access quota to Egypt of the Nile waters even explode the political arena and harm direct harm to the Egyptian national security.
Samuel stressed Ashay, coordinator of the Revolutionary Front for the Protection of sucking, the need for the emergence of forces face of the Egyptian armed forces and its leadership against all of the same begging him to touch the artery-Masri, who is a red line in front of everyone. Engineer Daniel announced that the escalation is the next step in the case of the continuation of the enemies of the Egyptian people in these despicable attempts that aim to destabilize and more tension erupted on the Egyptian front interior and that what was taken by force can not recover without power.
[Almesryoum News(Arabic)]
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“Congo River is the alternative to Egypt out of the impasse Renaissance”
Mohamed Abdel Naeem expressed, president of the National Organization for Human Rights, rejected calls for military intervention in Ethiopia, in protest at the construction of the Renaissance Dam and diversion of the Nile River, pointing the finger at Tel Aviv and responsibility about what is happening in Ethiopia given the decline in the leading role of Egypt.
Naim added that the best response to the Ethiopian Renaissance Dam is the conversion of the mouth of the Congo River, which deliver 1,000 billion cubic meters annually in the Atlantic Ocean, and we can implement the project in cooperation with the Sudan, the Congo, and we are linking Lake Nasser, a distance of 600 km. The bliss that this project will provide 95 billion cubic meters per year, which is equal to times the current share, in addition to electricity multiplier which will generate from the High Dam and planting millions of acres of agricultural in Egypt, as well as the operation of labor and the advancement of agriculture in Egypt.
[My Rights (Arabic)]
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“Ethiopia insulted Egypt twice and military intervention is the solution”
Mustafa, member of the National Salvation Front, that President Morsi and the military council bear the responsibility of building Ethiopia dam Renaissance and change the course of the Nile water, adding that the delegation People who visited Addis Ababa after the revolution he was looking for a solution to a strategic peacefully to end the crisis, pointing out that Ethiopia insulted Egypt twice, first when he has sent mining minister to receive the President at the airport and the other when it announced the decision to divert the course of the Nile River after only two hours from leaving the Mercy of Ethiopian territory. He called President Morsi soldier military intervention to the difficulty of a diplomatic solution in light of Ethiopia’s insistence on insulting Egypt, stressing the importance of the start of military action and urgently.
[Almesryoum News(Arabic)]
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ElBaradei: “Renaissance Dam Project is one of the chronic crises Egypt facing”
Dr. Mohamed ElBaradei, said the founder of the Constitution Party and leader of the National Salvation Front, the kidnapping of seven soldiers in Sinai, as well as the implementation of the Renaissance Dam Project in Ethiopia, is one of the chronic crises that may expire disasters, according to the recipe.
He ElBaradei Tweet him through his account on the social networking site «twitter», on Wednesday, that the absence of truth and the lack of transparency, is the main reason for going through the country in the current period and therefore do not know the alternatives available, exclaimed, “and then they wonder why revels Egyptians!!”.
[Arab News (Arabic)]
* Note: ElBaradei is former Director of the International Atomic Agency.
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“Get me the exact figure of water that Ethiopia agrees as Egypt’s share of water”
Dr. Nader Noureddine professor of agricultural resources at Cairo University….announced he challenges any Egyptian official can get the exact figure of Ethiopia committed in Egypt’s share of water, referring to the adoption of the Ethiopian position rather than Egyptian.
He explained that Ethiopia’s construction of the dam means that Egypt and Sudan accepted the Blue Nile as an Ethiopian river rather than an internationally rivers. He stressed that he preferred not to Ethiopia being a source of shame on Egypt not being a mouth.
He pointed out that the construction of this dam means that Egypt should accept what enjoys us after Ethiopia uses surplus and its refusal to comply with any of Egypt’s share in the waters of the Blue Nile.
[Dostor (Arabic)]
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“The reception of President Mursi in Ethiopia is shame on Egypt”
A prominent TV commentator, Ahmed Meslemany said the following:
What the president is saying is not related neither to science nor to politics or religion. If your are not able to mange it leave your position to somebody else who can . The president takes his responsiblity about anything taking place in his country
the reception of the president in Ethiopia is shame on Egypt position … he was not in the first row … he was in the fifth row and only a Minister of Mine was waiting for him not the prime minister. Morsi did not discuss the Nile crisis .. and before his plane left Addis Ababa , work in the dam has already begun.
Egyptian intelligence and foreign forward its report to the presidency, but the presidency is interested in other things and the presidency did not bother the subject and reports with deep regret…..however, unfortunately Egyptian national security at risk and Egypt is now at a cross road.
[Dream TV (Arabic)
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[Stay Tuned]
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