War or Peace: The Triple Battle of the Nile

The longest river in Africa is the lifeline of Egypt, Sudan and Ethiopia. The latter erects the Renaissance Dam, warning that "no power" will stop her from rebuilding it. US tries to mediate, and Sisi recommends that Ethiopia relax: "We don't want to brag about our power"

War or Peace: The Triple Battle of the Nile

Egypt, Ethiopia and Sudan are in dispute over the construction of a new dam on the Nile River, and their representatives will meet next month in the United States in an effort to reach a solution. The Great Renaissance Dam that has been building Ethiopia since 2011 is of particular concern to Egypt, with 85 percent of its water supply coming from the river. At the center of the dispute is the time period during which Addis Ababa will fill the dam - she wants to do so as soon as possible, but Cairo wants to extend the schedule, fearing the venture will allow Ethiopia to control Africa's longest river flow.

Last October, Ethiopian Prime Minister Abbey Ahmed threatened that "no force" could halt the dam's construction, which is estimated to cost $ 5 billion. My father's threats came precisely after he won the Nobel Peace Prize for ending the confrontation with neighboring Eritrea and promoting democratic reforms. On the other hand, Egyptian President Abdel Fattah a-Sisi said that conflict is not the answer to the crisis.

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85% of Egypt's water supply comes from the Nile. The dam construction works (Photo: AP)

The Great Renaissance Dam in Ethiopia June 28, 2016 (Photo: AP)

"We do not want to brag about our power, but you are going to raise a million people or you are going to build a dam," the president told reporters in Sharm el-Sheikh. "We should not waste our resources on disputes and wars that cost millions. Instead, money should be used to develop our citizens and countries."

Next month, ministers from these three states are scheduled to meet in the last round of talks. Since U.S. Treasury Secretary Steve Mnuchin intervened in a crisis last month, technical teams from Egypt, Ethiopia and Sudan have already met.

(First Update: 17:12)

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