Sudan & South Sudan diplomats voice support to Ethiopia dam
June 23, 2013 (ADDIS ABABA) – Diplomats from Sudan and South Sudan have expressed their support for Ethiopia’s controversial Grand Renaissance Dam on the Blue Nile river just 30km from the Sudanese border.
The diplomats made the remarks after a group of Ambassadors from member states of the Nile Basin Initiative over the weekend paid a visit to the construction site of the controversial Ethiopian power plant.
After Ethiopia diverted the flow of the Blue Nile as part of a procedure to build the massive $4.8 billion hydro-electric dam, serious concerns have been raised from Egypt, who has veto rights over all upstream projects under a colonial era treaty.
In recent weeks Cairo and Addis Ababa have engaged in a fierce verbal confrontation.
However the foreign ministers of the two countries earlier this week met in Addis Ababa to cool tensions, with the two sides agreeing to start further negotiations and consultations, along with Sudan, at political and technical levels.
After Saturday’s visit to the construction site, the Sudanese ambassador reiterated his country’s full support to the project, emphasising that countries in the region will benefit from the electricity produced by the dam.
Sudan has accepted the final findings by the international panel of experts which has studied the impact of the dam for downstream countries and has affirmed to send experts and technicians to help the construction.
South Sudanese Ambassador, Arop Kuol Deng, commended the dam, saying it was as well a regional project that has the potential to change the lives of Africans.
“This is a victory for our region, Ethiopia and all of Africa. I want to appreciate those people who conceived and implemented the project” he said.
Egyptian Ambassador Mohamed Idris, echoed the foreign minister’s remarks made in a meeting Tuesday with his Ethiopian counterpart.
“I want to tell my Ethiopian brothers and sisters that we Egyptians are beside the development of Ethiopia” Idris said, adding: “We Egyptians will support every project that is based on common benefit.”
Kenyan and Ugandan Ambassadors were also among those who visited the site with Ethiopian officials.
Speaking to local media, the diplomats said they have witnessed that the diversion of the Blue Nile River has had no impact on the flow of the water to lower riparian countries.
(ST)