Ledere fra Egypten, Etiopien og Sudan underskrev mandag en aftale om deling af Nilens vandressourcer i Sudans hovedstad, Khartoum, efter dybe egyptiske bekymringer over en ny kæmpedæmning, som etioperne opfører ved Den Blå Nil.
Egypt has opposed the Great Ethiopian Renaissance Dam, saying it would worsen its water shortages. Ethiopia says the dam will give it a fairer share of Nile waters, BBC online reports Monday.
In 2013, Ethiopia’s parliament ratified a controversial treaty to replace colonial-era agreements that gave Egypt and Sudan the biggest share of the Nile’s water.
Ethiopia wants to replace a 1929 treaty written by Britain that awarded Egypt veto power over any project involving the Nile by upstream countries.
Ethiopia says the 4.7 billion US dollar dam will eventually provide 6,000 megawatts of power.
Egypt was apparently caught by surprise when Ethiopia started diverting (omlede) the Blue Nile – a tributary of the Nile – in 2013.
Ethiopia says the river will be slightly diverted but will then be able to follow its natural course.
Ethiopia has received strong backing from five other Nile-basin countries – Rwanda, Tanzania, Uganda, Kenya and Burundi.
