Ethiopian PM leaves for Egypt

file photo

The Ethiopian premier is accompanied to the three-day conference by Finance and Economic Development Minister Sufian Ahmed

World Bulletin / News Desk

 Ethiopian Prime Minister Hailemariam Desalegn left Friday for Egypt to participate in the Egypt Economic Development Conference, due to start later in the day in the Red Sea resort of Sharm el-Sheikh.

The Ethiopian premier is accompanied to the three-day conference by Finance and Economic Development Minister Sufian Ahmed, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs said in a statement.

For months, relations between Addis Ababa and Cairo had soured over the former's construction of a $6.4-billion hydroelectric dam on the Nile's upper reaches.

The project has raised alarm bells in Egypt, which relies on the river for almost all of its water needs.

Ethiopia says the dam project won't impact Egypt's traditional share of Nile water, which has long been regulated by a colonial-era water-sharing treaty that Addis Ababa has never recognized.

But ties between the two states picked up again as both countries agreed to resume tripartite talks – which also included downstream country Sudan – following a June meeting between Egyptian President Abdel-Fattah al-Sisi  and Desalegn in Equatorial Guinea.

Source: worldbulletin.net