Egypt's new leadership more inclined to share resources with Ethiopia
On Saturday, Ethiopian Prime Minister Meles Zenawi and Egyptian Prime Minister Essam Sharaf met in Cairo to discuss Ethiopia鈥檚 proposed 鈥淕rand Renaissance Dam,鈥� which would use some water from the Blue Nile for hydroelectric power. When it was , the dam project seemed to exacerbate long-standing tensions between Egypt and Ethiopia concerning usage of the Nile. Egypt, whose future water security outlook is somewhat grim, has long taken a significant portion of the Nile 鈥� a portion that upstream countries like Ethiopia feel is too large. In 2010, Ethiopia led a number of upstream countries in signing a treaty that would reduce Egypt鈥檚 share of the Nile. Egypt and Sudan opposed the treaty, arguing for the maintenance of the status quo. As of this spring, the conflict looked like a tough nut to crack.
Yet Saturday鈥檚 meeting in Cairo appears to be hastening a thaw that began with late this spring. are moving to work out a new arrangement:
鈥淲e have agreed to quickly establish a tripartite team of technical experts to review the impact of the dam that is being built in Ethiopia,鈥� Zenawi told a news conference with Egyptian Prime Minister Essam Sharaf. Experts from Sudan will also be part of the team.
鈥淲e have agreed to continue to work on the basis of a win-win solution for all countries in the Nile basin,鈥� he added.
[...]
Sharaf said Cairo and Addis Ababa were discussing a 鈥渃omprehensive development plan鈥� for the two countries.
鈥淲e can make the issue of the Grand Renaissance Dam something useful,鈥� he said. 鈥淭his dam, in conjunction with the other dams, can be a path for development and construction between Ethiopia, Sudan and Egypt.鈥�
The change in Egypt鈥檚 stance likely owes much to the change of regime there. Former President , but I imagine that the new government has neither the bandwidth nor the appetite to posture aggressively on the issue. At a time when Egypt鈥檚 domestic politics as well as regional politics are shifting (South Sudan鈥檚 independence makes the Egypt-Sudan pro-Nile status quo alliance somewhat shakier), Egypt鈥檚 new leaders are likely keen to have a workable resolution to the issue.
Ironing out details could prove tricky, and meaningful agreements on core issues hard to reach, but I see these talks and their outcome as a positive step for the region.
and have more.
鈥� Alex Thurston is a PhD student studying Islam in Africa at Northwestern University and blogs at .
