By Tesfa-Alem Tekle
June 14, 2013 (ADDIS ABABA) –
The
Governments of South Sudan has voiced support to a Ethiopia’s
controversial Nile Dam project which the country is building along the
Nile river, while Addis Ababa minimised Egyptian statements about war
against Ethiopia.
South Sudanese chief negotiator expressed
Thursday his country’s position on the construction of the Giant power
plant being built some 30-40 Kilometers from Sudan border.
Speaking
to Reporters in Addis Ababa, Pagan Amum, said Ethiopia dam project will
benefit not only to Ethiopia but also to the current and future
generations of Sudan and Egypt.
Ethiopia is currently exporting hydropower processes cheap Electricity to Djibouti and Sudan.
"Ethiopia
has the right to use the Nile water in terms of generation of
electricity, in terms of irrigation, and the way we see this development
is that it is not affecting the interest of Sudan or Egypt", Amum said.
Newly
independent South Sudan which recently became a new member to Nile
basin countries has called on Egypt and Ethiopia to cooperate and engage
in a dialogue to resolve Nile water Dispute.
After Ethiopia
recently diverted the course of the Nile River, Egyptian politicians are
suggesting sabotage including military action and supporting local
rebels to destroy the Dam project.
Ethiopia’s communication
Minister, Bereket Simon, said Friday that the threats from Egypt are
only psychological feud that aimed to divert the Egyptians away from
their internal political instability.
Simon Down played a potential of war with Egypt over Nile.
“Egypt
doesn’t have firm and justified reason to go to war with Ethiopia” he
said adding “even if they have the willing the question is do they have
the capacity?’’
Bereket further stressed that military action will never solve disputes over Nile.
Last
Wednesday Ugandan President Museveni in a national address at the
parliament backed the construction of the Dam saying that African
nations need such a hydro power plant to spur their economies and to
generate clean energy as well as to curb deforestation practices aimed
for fuel.
Museveni further warned Egypt to restrain from what he
said was “the chauvinistic statements” coming out of Cairo in connection
with Ethiopia’s $ 4.8 billion mega hydropower project which the north
African nation fears could diminish its annual water share from Nile
River.
"I have seen statements in the media coming out of the
government of Egypt about the commendable work of Ethiopia. What
Ethiopia is doing is what governments in Africa should do," he said.
Khartoum
dissociated itself from Egypt and supported the Dam construction saying
the three countries should work together to resolve minors problems
mentioned in a report prepared by international experts including Egypt
and Sudan.
ETHIOPIA RATIFIES NILE PACT
Ethiopia’s 547-member
parliament on Thursday unanimously endorsed the new Nile River
Cooperative Framework Agreement, making the horn of Africa’s nation the
first country to ratify the agreement reached in Uganda in 2010.
The
move comes after days of fierce verbal exchanges between Cairo and
Addis Ababa that escalated tensions rising fears to a possible military
confrontation.
The Entebbe agreement which was signed by four Nile
basins aims to reverse a colonial-era agreement that has granted Sudan
and Egypt lions share to the Rivers water resources of which over 85 %
of it originate in Ethiopia.
Rwanda, Tanzania, Uganda, Kenya and
Burundi are also signatories to the Framework Agreement legislatures of
the countries are similarly expected to endorse the cooperative
agreement.
At least six riparian countries have to ratify the
agreement to overthrow the colonial era treaty Ethiopia-led other
riparian countries argue that it has abandoned their right to equitable
utilization of the water resources.
South Sudan has in the past announced plans to sign the cooperative framework agreement.
http://www.sudantribune.com
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