Konjit Teshome
KHARTOUM: Ethiopia’s newly appointed prime minister, Abiy Ahmed, said Thursday that the controversial dam his country is building on the Nile will not harm Egypt’s share of water supplies.
Begun construction in 2011, the dam will be the largest in Africa and the 7th largest in the world when it is complete. It will produce over 6,400 megawatts of power.
Disputes over the impact of this project on Nile River’s water distribution continue to escalate. Egypt – already facing severe shortages of water – fears that the dam could reduce its water supply. The arid country depends almost solely on the river to sustain its economy and provide food and water to its people.