After the American position with the dam talks, this is how Ethiopia responded

Hassan Razzak-Addis Ababa

There were frequent reactions in Ethiopia to the US Treasury Department statement that asked Ethiopia not to start filling the Renaissance Dam reservoir before signing an agreement with Egypt and Sudan.

It was expected that the three countries concerned (Egypt, Ethiopia and Sudan) would conclude an agreement on filling and operating the dam in Washington this week, but it is only Cairo that first signed it.

In the first Ethiopian government response, a joint statement of the Ministries of Foreign Affairs, Energy and Water of Ethiopia said that Addis Ababa will start the initial filling of the Renaissance Dam reservoir, in parallel with construction operations based on its right to fair and equitable use of the Nile’s resources, and the initial filling is expected to start early this rainy season That is, next July.

The joint Ethiopian statement comes as a direct response to the American statement that demanded that Ethiopia not start filling the reservoir before signing the agreement, which the Ethiopian statement described as disappointing, as it indicated that Ethiopia, as the owner of the dam, would start the first filling, without harming the downstream countries as it is It is stipulated in the Declaration of Principles agreement.

And regarding what the American Treasury indicated in its statement, that there is concern in Sudan and Egypt because of the unsafe operation of the dam, and that there is a need to implement safety measures in accordance with international standards, the Ethiopian statement said that Addis Ababa had addressed all issues related to the safety of dams through the international team of experts, With knowledge and agreement with Egypt and Sudan.

On Egypt's initialization of the agreement, Ethiopia made it clear that it does not accept describing what Egypt has signed as an "agreement", noting that the agreement on specific rules for filling and operating the dam must be prepared by the three countries, and that the two countries must still address outstanding issues, before Sign the agreement.

The joint Ethiopian statement concluded by affirming the commitment of Addis Ababa to continue its engagement with Egypt and Sudan to address outstanding issues and finalize the guidelines and rules regarding the first filling and annual operation of the dam.

urgent meeting
Since the release of the American statement this morning, Ethiopian reactions have not subsided, whether at the government or opposition levels, or experts, followers, and citizens.

He announced that an emergency meeting of the Ethiopian negotiating team in the Nahdha Dam with government officials would be held, followed by the issuance of statements from a number of opposition parties, including the opposition Umrah National Party.

"Amhara" condemned the American position and demanded the Ethiopian government to withdraw completely from the negotiations, while prominent political activist Johar Mohamed, a leader in the Federal Congress Party, criticized the American administration and accused it of using the World Bank loans as a pressure card on the prime minister, and appealed to the Ethiopian government to transfer the Renaissance Dam file to the Union African.

On the level of those interested, a direct symposium was held on the Ethiopian radio, in which a number of experts spoke, including the director of the technical office of the Nile Basin Initiative for Eastern Nile Countries, engineer Faqih Ahmed Najash.

Najash emphasized that no one can prevent Ethiopia from filling the dam, and that operating the dam and filling its reservoir is a sovereign right of Ethiopia, and that the Ethiopian government decides when and how to fill the dam, and not the other party, stressing the need to mediate in negotiations other independent bodies, and that the position The American undermines Ethiopia's confidence in its negotiators.

American influence
At the same symposium, Professor Jacob Arsano, Professor of Water Policy and Deputy Chairman of the Independent National Scientific Committee of the Renaissance Dam, said that the American influence on the negotiations is unacceptable, and that Ethiopia is a country that maintains its sovereign rights and benefits from the dam, and this will continue.

On issues related to the dam's security, Yaqoub said that Ethiopia had made great efforts to discuss the hydrological aspects, environment and negative impacts of the dam through expert committees from the three countries and independents, and this research confirmed with compelling evidence that there is no negative impact of the dam on the downstream countries, stressing that the dam is built on foundations And scientific studies and it will not be harmful to anyone.

The pioneers of the communication sites exchanged the marking "its my Dam" in which they demanded the American administration to stop the pressure on Ethiopia to resolve issues related to the dam, noting that Ethiopia's population of 110 million people deserves a fair share of the Nile River, especially that 60% of the Ethiopian people do not Enjoys electricity.

They stressed that the Renaissance Dam is a matter of existence for all Ethiopians, and that the American administration exerts unjust pressure on Ethiopia, to make Egypt benefit from Ethiopia's shares in the resources of the Nile, and they considered that Washington was primarily interested in helping Egyptian President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi to obtain unfair deals on Ethiopia account.