Ethiopia blasts Trump remark that Egypt will 'blow up' dam

Ethiopia on Saturday deunced “belligerent threats” over huge dam it has nearly completed on Blue Nile River, a day after U.S. President Donald Trump said downstream Egypt will “blow up” project it has called an existential threat.

Without naming Trump or U.S., statement by Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed’s office came amid an outcry in Ethiopia over Trump’s latest threat over dam. $4.6 billion Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam is a source of national pride, aimed at pulling millions of people from poverty.

“ man doesn’t have a clue on what he is talking about,” Former Prime Minister Hailemariam Dessalegn tweeted, calling Trump’s remark reckless and irresponsible.

Trump made comment while anuncing that Sudan would start to rmalize ties with Israel. Downstream Sudan is a party to talks with Ethiopia and Egypt over disputed dam. “y (Egypt) will end up blowing up dam,” Trump said. “And I said it and I say it loud and clear … y’ll blow up that dam. And y have to do something.”

U.S. president earlier this year told State Department to suspend millions of dollars in aid to Ethiopia because of dam dispute, angering Ethiopians who had accused U.S. of being biased during its earlier efforts to broker a deal on project among Ethiopia, Egypt and Sudan. Ethiopia walked away from those talks.

“y will never see that money unless y adhere to that agreement,” Trump said Friday.

“Occasional statements of belligerent threats to have Ethiopia succumb to unfair terms still abound,” Ethiopia’s statement said Saturday. “se threats and affronts to Ethiopian sovereignty are misguided, unproductive, and clear violations of international law.”

It added: “Ethiopia will t cave in to aggressions of any kind.”

Ethiopia celebrated first filling of dam in August, citing heavy rains, to dismay of Egypt. Ethiopia later banned flights over dam amid concerns over possible military action by Egypt.

w, with Trump’s new remarks, some Ethiopians are urging Ethiopian Americans to help vote him out of office in next month’s election.

statement by Abiy’s office said talks with Egypt and Sudan have shown significant progress since African Union has stepped in to oversee m. Trump’s statement could undermine that process, said Abel Abate Demissie, an associate fellow at Chatham House, adding that it proves U.S. wasn’t an honest broker from start.

Ethiopia says colossal dam could help it become a major power exporter. Egypt depends on Nile to supply its farmers and a booming population of 100 million with fresh water.

Negotiators have said key questions remain about how much water Ethiopia will release downstream if a multi-year drought occurs and how countries will resolve any future disputes. Ethiopia rejects binding arbitration at final st.

A military strike on dam would be disastrous, one water expert warned. dam already has more than 4.9 billion cubic meters of water in its reservoir,” Abebe Yirga told Associated Press. “It will affect thousands of people along way if this huge amount of water gushes out of dam.”

Blue Nile joins White Nile in Sudan to become Nile, and about 85% of river's flow originates from Ethiopia. Officials hope dam, w more than three-quarters complete, will reach full power-generating capacity in 2023.