(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.
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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If Egptian threat is not stop soon,all ethiopian students shall take military traing.
There is NO international law or bilateral agreement/treaty that impede Ethiopia from using its water resourses for development purposes. Unilisation of Abbay Basin can not be restricted for hydropower production only (non-consumtive use of wate) but also for irrigation purposes(consumptive use of water). We need to build more medium and small scale irrigation dams using our financial and human resources to address rural unemployment and to maximise farmers’ direct involvement and benefit form their own resources.
The selfish and irrisponsible Egyptian politicians must be aware of that. We have to assert our entitlment on our water resourses that are flowing in our territorial boundry rather than focusing on reassuring down streams by stating that the dam will not decrease the flow of water.
We need more firm and unambiguous responses from our leaders.
I think Ethiopia shouldn’t involve in diplomacy with Egypt unless Egypt signs the Cooperative Frame Agreement. I believe it was a mistake forming a tripartite committee to the study the effect of the dam after all Egypt don’t want a reduction of a drop of water. All Egypt want to see is Ethiopia live in poverty, war and destruction. They proved all that in the past and now. Egypt is not going to sleep for Ethiopia today or tomorrow and peace with Egypt is not an option as long as they accept the Cooperative Frame Agreement. Soon or latter, the upper stream countries will use their share of water and Egypt ( their arab fellows) need to go to war not only with Ethiopia but with the whole East Africa. Ethiopia should use help of all possible options including help from fellow Africans in its struggle against the colonial treaties that made her poor. Egypt should apologize Ethiopia and denounce all acts of terror and atrocities committed on Ethiopia directly or indirectly until now. Otherwise, we shall go to war very soon. The outcome will not be that much favorable for Ethiopia but it will be destructive for Egypt. Egypt should be sure that if war starts with Ethiopia, it will not end in hours with their “6000” Fighter jets. It will be war of generations and war of regions. Anyone can guess the outcome but Ethiopia don’t have the option but to make Egypt choose. For Egypt, Please don’t talk much, it’s not like Egypt.
The Muslim Brotherhood had better resolve domestic political affairs through dialouge than expecting a solution by making nile an issue; which at the end of the day results in its failure. Let egypt politicians also take a time to think and look their step carefully and responsibly. “Egypt never wins war over the nile”