Egypt’s Ambassador to South Africa Sherif Issa says he is optimistic that an amicable agreement will be reached next week regarding the Grand Renaissance Dam in the Nile River.
Egypt and its neighbours Ethiopia and Sudan are at loggerheads over the almost-complete dam.
Ethiopia started construction of the dam in 2011 without consulting Egypt.
The dam is expected to be the largest on the continent with a capacity to generate a massive 6 000 megawatts to relieve Ethiopia’s energy shortage.
At stake are the technicalities of the filling and operation of the dam to ensure water and electricity for arid Egypt during droughts; and electricity to power Ethiopia’s pressing industrial aspirations.
The three nations reached a brokered preliminary agreement earlier this week in Washington DC with a final deal expected to be signed on 28-29 January.
“Egypt is willing to find a peaceful solution and also a win-win solution for this problem. We are working hard with Ethiopia and Sudan but also we need the people and the world to know that the Rive Nile for Egypt is a matter of life as 97% percent of our water is coming from this river,” says Issa.
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