The Egyptian President Mohammed Morsi has stated in a televised address that his country is ready to deal with any threat that will come from Ethiopia on the dispute over the Nile River.
President Morsi said all options are still available to deal with what he described as the Ethiopian threat on the Nile but was quick to add that he was not calling for war against one of the oldest and historical country of Africa.
He said in an emotive language that Egyptians will not accept any reduction in the flow of the river on which their civilization has been based from time immemorial.
“Egypt’s water security cannot be violated in any way, as head of state, I confirm to you that all options are open….. We are not calling for war, but we will never permit our water security to be threatened’’, President Morsi noted.
“We have no objections to the development projects in the Nile Basin states, but on condition that those projects do not affect our legal and historical rights’’, further said.
“If Egypt is the Nile’s gift, then the Nile is gifts to Egypt, the lives of the Egyptians are connected around it… as one great people. If it diminishes by one drop then our blood is the alternative’’, President Morsi added amid cheering of crowd.
Foreign Minister, Mohamed Kamel Amr reportedly told the Egyptian state news agency, the Middle East News Agency (MENA) on Sunday that any obstacle to the Nile River’s flow is a threat to national survival of the Egyptian people and that Egypt will not give up any single drop of the Nile water.
Ethiopia started diverting the flow of the Blue Nile in preparation for the building of the Great Ethiopian Renaissance Dam of $4.2bn hydroelectric power which will be the biggest in Africa if completed.
The Blue Nile is one of two major tributaries of the Egyptian Nile and Egypt considers the building of the dam by the Ethiopians as a threat that will reduce the water level of the Nile which the Egyptians heavily depend on.
Ethiopia reportedly summoned the Egyptian ambassador last week to answer some questions, after politicians in Cairo were caught unaware on state television suggesting military action or supporting Ethiopian rebels to destabilize Ethiopia in an attempt to disrupt the building of the dam.
The Ethiopian government has stated clearly that it would not bow to the Egyptian pressure over building the hydro dam since the dam is not going to Egypt.
Foreign Minister, Mohamed Kamel is due to visit Ethiopia this week to hold talks with the Ethiopian Government on how the issue can be resolved diplomatically.
Ethiopia’s decision to construct the dam challenges a colonial-era agreement that had given Egypt and Sudan rights to the Nile water, with Egypt taking 55.5 billion cubic metres and Sudan 18.5 billion cubic metres.
If the dam is completed, it will be a Grand Ethiopian Renaissance which would be Africa’s largest dam ever in the history of the African Continent.
The dam is expected to produce 6,000 megawatts of power and its reservoir is scheduled to start filling next year.
Issaka Adams / NationalTurk Africa News
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Both parties(Ethiopia and Egypt) should consider scientific apprach of solving the issue due this will sustain the two contries benefit in the longrun. The Egyptian leaders looks extremist to be not coming on table of due to the are relating one drop water with a drop of their blood.
It is better to choose peace full way to resolve disagreement. unless emotion may lead to unwonted distraction.
Your excellency President Mursi,
You have no all options because those options which result in failure are not options. You have only one option – to cooperate with Ethiopia. As the Dam is not intended to harm Egyptian brothers, let us put our heads together to maximize mutual benefit. Other options like halting the dam, or destabilizing the country will result in more hostile attitude towards you. This will make us pay whatever to grow our country. Then, do you imagine what will come? Blue Nile will be only your dream. Still in our hands is the dove.
I read your article with much concentration. As an Ethiopian I would like to tell you that, Egypt’s stance on not allowing Ethiopia to use a drop of water never never works in light of the current era. And it is not in the Ethiopians’ intention to harm the sisterly and brotherly people of Egypt. Therefore, why don’t we sit together and discuss on the matter.
What I see now in Egypt does not help any. All political figures take it as an opportunity to defy the democratic questions of the Egyptian people. Hence, the Great Renaissance Dam and people of Ethiopia are becoming scapegoats.
If you see it in a clearer mind, it is natural and legal for Ethiopia to use the Nile River as far as it does not harm Egypt significantly. As all of you know, Dams for electricity generation do not consume water. So that, why do the politicians in Egypt try to disrupt the public from their daily life and make them think about war?
The idea that allows Egypt to use 55Bcm of water annually while, it doesn’t contribute a single drop of water and depriving Ethiopia from using a drop of water while it contribute 85 to 87% of water to Nile is a nonsense. Not only nonsense but also, it shows the politicians’ negligence on the Ethiopian people and their development.
Therefore, as a citizen of Ethiopia, I call up on the Egyptian people and their government to see the realities and come up with smart ideas that will help both nations strive for common interests.
war is not good Mr. President!sort it out diplomatically!
this is an attempt by the president and his Islamist backers to distract Egyptians from the economic and security challenges and political polarization that have escalated over the past year.