Johannesburg – The US is to help mediate the Nile River dispute between Egypt and Ethiopia as tensions between the two countries spike.
The Egyptian government confirmed that it has accepted an invitation from the US to a meeting of foreign ministers over a controversial project for a giant hydropower dam on Ethiopia's Blue Nile, Al Jazeera reported.
Egypt, Ethiopia and Sudan’s foreign ministers – the three nations directly affected by the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam (GERD) – will meet in Washington next Wednesday in an attempt to resolve the issue.
Egypt is heavily reliant on water from the Nile and is concerned that the GERD will further restrict already scare resources from the river which provides 90 percent of the North African country’s water supply.
Cairo further argues that it has "historic rights" to the river guaranteed by treaties from 1929 and 1959.
Washington to help mediate Egypt-Ethiopia Nile River dispute which has been ongoing for over four years. Video: Zodidi Dano/ African News Agency
However, years of intensive talks between Ethiopia and Sudan have not resolved the issue with Addis Ababa asserting GERD is essential to its economic development.