Cairo to hold 2nd Ethiopia dam meet next week

 The second panel meeting is being convened for the purpose of reaching agreement on the consultants to be tasked with carrying out further research on the mega-dam

World Bulletin/News Desk

Egypt has brought forward a second meeting of a tripartite technical panel on Ethiopia's mega-dam on the Nile River – originally slated for October 20 and 21 – to next Thursday and Friday.

According to a Thursday statement issued by Egyptian Irrigation Minister Hossam Moghazi, the adjustment was carried out in order to "suit the schedules of Sudanese and Ethiopian irrigation ministers, both of whom will be attending the meeting in Cairo."


The second panel meeting is being convened for the purpose of reaching agreement on the consultants to be tasked with carrying out further research on the mega-dam within the next six months, according to earlier statements issued by the panel.

Two Egyptian irrigation officials told Anadolu Agency that the committee, which began its activities in September, might need three more months to finish its work.

At a first meeting in September, water ministers from Ethiopia, Egypt and Sudan agreed to launch the committee, which was tasked with following up on the implementation of recommendations issued by an international panel of experts regarding Ethiopia's mega-dam.

Egypt has voiced fears that construction of the $6.4-billion dam would reduce its respective shares of Nile water.

The panel, which includes four experts from each of the three countries involved, has been tasked with selecting an international consultancy firm to study the dam's anticipated impact on downstream states.
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