Egyptian President Mohamed Morsi has warned Ethiopia over its efforts to build a dam across the Blue Nile, stressing that his government will spare no efforts in countering the move that could leave Egypt facing an acute water shortage.
"Egypt's water security cannot be violated in any way. As head of state, I confirm to you that all options are open. We are not calling for war, but we will never permit our water security ... to be threatened." Morsi was quoted as saying in a televised speech on Monday.
Without calling for the complete stoppage of work at the hydro-electric dam, Morsi stressed that studies need to be carried out to determine the impacts of the project on Egypt. Notably, Ethiopia had rejected an Egyptian call made last week to halt work on the dam.
Morsi noted that Ethiopia continues to be a "friendly state," but stressed that his government would continue its efforts to resolve the issue both politically and diplomatically. He also said that he had no objections to "development projects in the Nile Basin States" as long as they "do not affect or damage Egypt's legal and historical rights."
Cairo was taken by surprise after Ethiopia began diverting the Blue Nile last month to facilitate the construction of the Grand Renaissance Dam near the Sudanese border. Ethiopia says that the flow of the river will not be disrupted once the dam's huge reservoir is filled.
Incidentally, Egypt is heavily dependent on Blue Nile, a tributary of the Nile, for its water requirements. Cairo insists that colonial-era treaties guarantee it of the major share of Nile waters, which also flows through several other African nations.
Nevertheless, other African nations like Ethiopia, Uganda, Kenya, Tanzania, Burundi, Rwanda and Democratic Republic of Congo are also aiming to develop the water resources of the Nile Basin to address their own water and power requirements.
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