Egypt Has No Plans To Take Ethiopia Dam File To AU

Egyptian ambassador to Ethiopia Mohamed Idris has denied reports of Egyptian plans to lodge a formal complaint with the African Union (AU) over Ethiopia's massive hydroelectric dam project on the Nile River, worldbulletin.net reported.

"No official decision has been taken in this regard," Idris told a Wednesday press conference in Addis Ababa.

Within the last year, relations between Egypt and Ethiopia have become strained over the latter's construction of a multibillion-dollar hydroelectric dam on the Nile's upper reaches.

The project has raised fears in Cairo that the project could affect Egypt's historical share of Nile water, which represents the country's primary water source.

Speaking in the Ethiopian capital, Idris called for stepped-up cooperation between Egypt, Ethiopia and Sudan on the dam.

"We've already agreed on some aspects, while we're yet to agree on others," he said.

On Monday, a 45-strong Egyptian diplomatic delegation arrived in Addis Ababa for a five-day visit to Ethiopia.

The following day, delegation members met with AU Peace and Security Commissioner Smail Chergui and AU Infrastructure and Energy Commissioner Elham Ibrahim.

The delegation is scheduled to visit Ethiopia's northwestern city of Bahir Dar– home of Lake Tana, the source of the Blue Nile– on Thursday.

Source: worldbulletin.net