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The National
an hour ago
- Politics
- The National
Trump says Egypt's Nile water dispute with Ethiopia to be solved 'very quickly'
US President Donald Trump has vowed to work towards a quick resolution of Egypt 's water dispute with Ethiopia, which has completed building a Nile dam that Cairo claims could rob it of its vital share of the river's water. Egyptian President Abdel Fattah El Sisi was quick to welcome Mr Trump's comments, heaping lavish praise on the American leader as a man of peace. Ethiopia has said construction of the dam is complete, and invited Egypt and Sudan, downstream nations that have vigorously opposed the project, to the inauguration ceremony. Construction on the hydroelectric $4 billion Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam (Gerd) began in 2011. It sits on the Blue Nile, by far the larger of the river's two tributaries, near the Sudanese border. 'I think if I am Egypt, I want to have water in the Nile and we are working on that,' Mr Trump said at a meeting with Nato Secretary General Mark Rutte at the White House. He said the dam was 'closing up water going to the Nile" and called the river 'a very important source of income and life ... to take that away is pretty incredible. But we think we are going to have that solved very quickly.' Mr El Sisi, Egypt's President of 11 years, responded on Tuesday to the US President's comments, writing on Facebook that his country appreciated them as proof of Washington's commitment under Mr Trump's leadership to end wars and settle disputes across the world. He specifically mentioned the Russia - Ukraine war, Africa and Gaza. "Egypt values the importance President Trump attaches to reaching a fair agreement that safeguards the interests of everyone linked to the Ethiopian dam and his assertion of what the Nile represents to Egypt as a source of life," he said. "Egypt renews its support for President Trump as he endeavours to install peace, stability and security in the nations of the region and the world." Mr El Sisi's praise of the American leader comes at a time when relations between the two allied nations are fraught over the Gaza war, which has been raging in the coastal enclave over Egypt's eastern border since October 2023. Besides his unwavering support for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, Egypt is particularly alarmed by Mr Trump's proposal to resettle Gaza's 2.3 million residents in its Sinai Peninsula, as well as in Jordan. It says that if implemented, his vision for a Gaza turned into a glitzy beach resort without its native inhabitants poses a serious threat to Egyptian security. In protest over the Gaza plan first suggested by Mr Trump in January, Mr El Sisi has indefinitely put off a visit to Washington that had been scheduled for February, sources told The National at the time. For his part, Mr Trump did not include Egypt in his Middle East tour in May. Egypt, the most populous Arab nation, with about 107 million people, is alarmed that the Gerd project could reduce its share of the river, which provides almost all of its freshwater needs. It has called the dam an existential threat, arguing that any drop in its water share would wipe out millions of farming jobs and ruin Egypt's delicate food balance. Sudan, Egypt's war-torn southern neighbour, is concerned that any structural damage to the dam would leave large parts of the country underwater. It has also complained that Ethiopia is not sharing data on the dam's operation. Egypt and Sudan had engaged in years of fruitless negotiations with Ethiopia to reach a legally binding agreement on the filling and operation of the dam. Their criticism of Addis Ababa over the dam, however, has slackened off in the past two years, with Sudan mired in a devastating civil war since April 2023. Egypt, on the other hand, has been unaffected by the scheduled annual fillings of the dam that ended last summer, thanks to plentiful rain on the Ethiopian highlands that have kept the Nile bountiful. With the reservoir at full capacity, Egypt's main concern is how much water Addis Ababa will allow to flow downstream during times of severe drought. Ethiopia has maintained the dam does not pose a threat to anyone and is vital for its own development. It has said electricity generated by the dam would be available to neighbouring nations, including Sudan. The dam began producing power in 2022 and is expected ultimately to create more than 6,000 megawatts of electricity – double Ethiopia's current output and enough to make the East African nation of 120 million people a net energy exporter.
Middle East
a day ago
- Politics
- Middle East
OPEN// Kazakhstan's president commends Sisi's wise, balanced stands
CAIRO, July 13 (MENA) - Kazakhstan's President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev commended the wise and balanced positions of President Abdel Fattah El Sisi, as well as Egypt's important role in achieving stability and calm in the Middle East. Tokayev made the comments in a meeting with Egyptian Ambassador in Astana Ibtissam Rakha Hassan, on the sidelines of a ceremony for opening the new headquarters of the Secretariat of the Conference on Interaction and Confidence Building Measures in Asia, according to a statement released by the Foreign Ministry on Sunday. The ceremony was attended by a large number of Kazakh officials, foreign ambassadors and representatives of international organizations, the statement added. During the meeting, the Kazakh leader praised the depth of relations between the two countries, expressing his country's willingness to foster cooperation with Egypt. On her part, the ambassador conveyed the greetings of President Sisi to his Kazakh counterpart, emphasizing the Egyptian political leadership's keenness to strengthen ties with Kazakhstan in various fields. (MENA) M R E/R E E
Middle East
2 days ago
- Politics
- Middle East
OPEN// Sisi meets African leaders at AU summit in Malabo
MALABO, July 13 (MENA) – Egyptian President Abdel Fattah El Sisi met on Sunday with many African leaders on the sidelines of the African Union's mid-year coordination summit in Malabo, Equatorial Guinea. According to Presidential Spokesman Mohamed El Shinawy, Sisi held talks with each of Mauritanian President Mohamed Ould Cheikh El-Ghazouani, Gabonese President Brice Oligui Nguema, Chairman of Libya's Presidential Council Mohamed Al-Menfi, and former Nigerien President Mahamadou Issoufou, who leads efforts on the African Continental Free Trade Area. He added that the meetings addressed ways of enhancing regional cooperation, development, and stability across the continent. (MENA) H A T/R E E
Middle East
2 days ago
- Politics
- Middle East
OPEN// Sisi reviews Egypt's efforts to promote peace in Africa
MALABO, July 13 (MENA) – Egyptian President Abdel Fattah El Sisi on Sunday affirmed Egypt's full commitment to supporting the North African Region Capability (NARC) as part of Cairo's broader interest in revitalizing the African Peace and Security Architecture (APSA) and its leading role in post-conflict reconstruction and development. This commitment also stems from Egypt's firm belief that peace is the foundation of development, and that integration is the path toward a better future for the continent, Sisi said during a speech he delivered at the African Union (AU)'s 7th Mid-Year Coordination Meeting, held in Equatorial Guinea. Sisi, the current chair of NARC, reviewed Egypt's efforts to ensure the preparedness of the North African Region Capability to promote peace across the African continent. These efforts come in light of Egypt's full belief in the importance of preparedness and readiness to safeguard the capabilities of the African peoples, protect them from various challenges, and fulfill their aspirations for security, stability, and prosperity, he said. He pointed out that the African continent faces a lot of complex and intertwined geopolitical challenges—ranging from armed conflicts and the spread of terrorism to transnational organized crime and the repercussions of climate change. These challenges pose a threat to the continent's security, stability, and development, and require collective efforts to be addressed, Sisi added. The Egyptian leader emphasized the need to revitalize and strengthen the regional mechanisms concerned with maintaining peace and security in Africa. He also underlined the importance of the African Standby Force (ASF) as a core pillar of the African Peace and Security Architecture with its regional components such as the North African Region Capability, currently chaired by Egypt. This system provides a multi-dimensional, well-equipped force with operational capacity and readiness to deploy in support of peacekeeping and peacebuilding efforts, Sisi noted. (MORE) I S N/R E E
Middle East
2 days ago
- Politics
- Middle East
OPEN// Sisi highlights NEPAD committee's development efforts under Egypt's leadership
MALABO, July 13 (MENA) — Egyptian President Abdel Fattah El Sisi reviewed the key initiatives undertaken by the Heads of State and Government Orientation Committee of the African Union Development Agency (AUDA-NEPAD), currently chaired by Egypt, during his participation on Sunday in the seventh Mid-Year Coordination Summit of the African Union in Malabo, Equatorial Guinea. Presidential spokesperson Mohamed El-Shennawy said the summit addressed a range of pressing issues for the continent, including efforts to advance regional integration, promote intra-African trade, and confront regional and global challenges that impact Africa's development. The agenda also covered strategies to strengthen peace and security across the continent. Shennawy added that President Sisi delivered a statement on behalf of the NEPAD Orientation Committee, emphasizing the committee's pivotal role—under Egypt's leadership—in driving development across Africa. Key focus areas include closing the continent's development financing gap, accelerating the implementation of the AU's Agenda 2063, investing in human capital through health and education, and addressing the threat of climate change. Sisi also underscored that despite ongoing regional and international challenges, Africa holds vast potential and numerous opportunities for achieving sustainable development and prosperity. (MENA) R E E/
