'Deadlock' in Nile dam talks again, Egypt accuses of Ethiopia 'intransigence'

Egypt on Saturday has claimed that the talks with Ethiopia and Sudan regarding the building of a controversial mega-dam on the river Nile had come to a stalemate. According to reports, Egypt had stated that Addis Ababa has refused to compromise and has not shown a willingness to negotiate. The dam called the Grand Ethiopia Renaissance Dam (GERD) has become a source of contention for the region ever since Ethiopia began its construction nearly a decade ago.

Trouble over Nile dam

As per reports, Ethiopia believes the dam to be a necessity for the electrification and development of the country. On the other hand, Sudan and Egypt have viewed the dam as a threat due to the dangers it poses to their essential water supplies. In a press release that was posted on Egypt's Water Resources and Irrigation Ministry’s Facebook page, spokesperson Mohamed al-Sebaie has said that Egypt is currently not optimistic about a breakthrough in the negotiations.

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The spokesperson, in his statement, further added that the unlikelihood of a breakthrough was because Ethiopia has repeatedly refused to compromise. The strongly-worded statement comes at the heels of days of negotiations. Ethiopia will reportedly start filling the dam by sometime in July.

The United States, European Union and South Africa had been acting as observers during the talks between the irrigation and water ministers from the three Nile basin countries. During the course of the talks, Ethiopia has accused the United States of favouritism and being ‘undiplomatic’.

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The 6,600-kilometre-long Nile river is a lifeline for the 10 countries it passes through; it supplies them with water and well as electricity. As per reports, the main tributaries of the Nile, the White and Blue Niles converge at the Sudanese capital Khartoum before flowing north through Egypt to drain into the Mediterranean Sea.

(Image Credit - Pixabay/Representative Image)