A Dam On The Nile

EGYPT

A Dam on the Nile

Fearing that a dam in Ethiopia’s highlands will impact the flow of water through the deserts of Sudan to Egyptian fields and reservoirs, Cairo suggested the three nations turn to international experts to help settle the dispute.

Ministers from Ethiopia and Egypt met in Addis Ababa on Tuesdayto try to resolve a disagreement over the possible impact of the $4-billion Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam, which is currently under construction, Reuters reported.

The agency cited officials who took part in the sessions as saying Egypt had suggested involving an international body such as the World Bank.

For their part, Sudan and Ethiopia say Egypt has refused to accept their proposed amendments to the environmental impact assessment. Water sharing has been a contentious issue for decades, with analysts repeatedly warning that a dispute could boil over into conflict.

Currently, Egypt claims the right to around 55 billion cubic meters of water from the river, saying even that amount compels it to recycle water several times and supplement its supply with desalinated seawater, the Financial Times noted. Ethiopia says the dam won’t impact countries downstream but has refused to recognize Egypt's claim.