Mohamed Abou El-Enein, Honorary President of Euro-Mediterranean Parliamentary Assembly and Chairman of the Egyptian-European Business Council applauded the White House’s statement supporting the ongoing negotiations between Egypt, Sudan and Ethiopia on the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam (GERD), reaching a sustainable and jointly advantageous agreement.
Abou El-Enein praised the White House statement, in which the US administration affirmed that all Nile Basin countries have the right to economic development and prosperity, and called on all parties to show goodwill to reach an agreement that preserves those rights, while simultaneously respecting each other’s Nile water equities.
He stressed that the White House statement confirms the success of Egyptian diplomacy and the efforts of President El Sisi in presenting the Renaissance Dam crisis to the international community at the UN General Assembly
He stressed that the White House statement confirms the success of Egyptian diplomacy and the efforts of President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi in presenting the Renaissance Dam crisis to the international community during his speech at the UN General Assembly.
“The President addressed the issue with full credibility and transparency, warning of the seriousness and consequences of the matter, and setting an alarm for the international community to resolve this crisis,” the business tycoon said.
“Ethiopia has ignored the Egyptian proposal on the Renaissance Dam and insists on filling the dam in just three years, damaging the country downstream and refusing to extend the period to seven years to limit the impact of water retention on Egypt and its share of water,” Abou El-Enein emphasized.
The issue of GERD was the focus of numerous meetings held by Abu El-Enein, during the UN General Assembly, with Tijani Mohamed Pandey, President of the UN General Assembly, several senior officials in the White House, Congress and African leaders.
Pandey stressed that no country has the right to prevent water from reaching to another one or to violate former agreements even in case of war.
He added that water is a human right, pointing out that the current crisis of the GRED between Egypt and Ethiopia must be solved through negotiation.
He added that the GERD crisis would be one of his top priorities during the coming period, adding that he will intervene to hold a tripartite meeting with Egypt, Sudan, and Ethiopia as soon as possible to reach a diplomatic solution to put an end to that issue.
The Egyptian businessman also called on the international community to further entrench the rules of justice and respect for conventions and treaties during his meeting with several senior US officials, including Assistant Secretary of State for Middle East Affairs David Schenker, USAID Assistant Administrator for the Middle East Michael Harvey, the executive director of the Washington Institute for Near East Policy (WINEP) Robert Satloff, Senior Director of the Middle East at the White House Victoria Coates, and Director of the Woodrow Wilson International Center for Scholars and the ranking Democrat on the House Intelligence Committee Jane Harman.
Abou El-Enein stressed the necessity of embracing the President’s call to protect Egypt’s right in the Nile water, preserving the stability and security of the region from new crises.
President Sisi’s speech was clear, acknowledging Egypt’s commitment to its rights and share in the Nile water, calling on Addis Ababa to respect all international laws and covenants dating back more than 100 years.
Abou El-Enein explained to the members of the Parliamentary Assembly the seriousness of the impact of water shortage on Egypt, demanding the intervention of the United Nations to solve the crises.
“The Renaissance Dam has been built to generate electricity, whereas there are many modern ways of generating electricity with greater capacity,” he explained, doubting the real financiers behind the dam and their true intentions towards Egypt.
Aboul-Enein confirmed Egypt’s historic right to the Nile water, stressing that the dam’s alarming impact on the region.
He stressed Ethiopia’s non-cooperative manner, violating all international treaties and agreements signed between the Nile Basin countries.
In the meantime, White House press secretary Stephanie Grisham said earlier this week that the United States backs Egypt, Sudan and Ethiopia’s current negotiations on Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam (GERD).
“All Nile Valley countries have a right to economic development and prosperity. The administration calls on all sides to put forth good faith efforts to reach an agreement that preserves those rights, while simultaneously respecting each other’s Nile water equities,” Grisham said.
