Exclusive: Abou El Enein's Message to African Leaders on Renaissance Dam

Tackling the Renaissance Dam Crisis, Mohamed Abou El Enein, Honorary President of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Mediterranean, stressed that the Dam crisis between Egypt and Ethiopia may affect security and stability of the African continent.

Abou El Enein called on Addis Ababa to respect international laws and historical treaties, as well as agreements signed between Egypt, Sudan and Ethiopia about water rights in the Nile River.

The business tycoon referred to what President Abdel Fattah El Sisi discussed about the Renaissance Dam crisis with Ethiopia during his speech at the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA74).

• Abou El Enein hailed President Sisi’s speech in which he tackled the Renaissance Dam crisis at the UNGA74.

“President Sisi made it clear in simple words when he stressed that the Nile to Egypt is a matter of life and existence issue,” Abou El Enein quoted.

Abou El Enein’s remarks were given during a conference organized by the United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO) about the third decade of the industrial development in Africa (IDDA III).

• Abou El Enein called on Addisa Ababa to respect international laws and treaties signed with the Nile Basin Countries.

The conference was held at the UN General Assembly headquarters in New York on Wednesday.

Abou El Enein, Founder and Chairman of Cleopatra Group, reaffirmed that the water issue is important to Egypt as this crisis may affect the whole region. It’s a matter of rights and dignity.

“I’m sending a message to all African leaders to be aware of this issue that would affect the future of stability in the black continent,” Abou El Enein stressed.

• “The Renaissance Dam crisis with Ethiopia will influence on the future of stability in the black continent,” Abou El Enein.

He noted that Ethiopia’s behavior “seems dangerous” as Addis Ababa does not follow international treaties, legislations and laws.

The Egyptian public figure warned of breaching the historical rights of Egypt regarding the Nile water.

• Abou El Enein stressed that he believed that “Ethiopia has the right to seek development, but Egyptians also have the right to live.”

“Everyone acknowledges how this issue is dangerous… The Egyptian people will not accept any encroachment to the country’s rights and quota of the Nile water,” Abou El Enein asserted.

• “Renaissance Dam Crisis is an issue of rights and dignity to Egypt,” Abou El-Enein said to African leaders.

He insisted that the Renaissance Dam crisis will be solved through negotiations not via stubbornness from the Ethiopian side. “Egypt believes in Ethiopia’s right for development, but Egyptians also have the right to live.”

Abou El Enein pointed out that he hoped that solutions of mutual interests to peoples of Egypt, Sudan and Ethiopia could be reached.