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Egyptian politicians caught in on-air Ethiopia dam gaffe – BBC

Egyptian politicians are embarrassed after being caught suggesting hostile acts against Ethiopia to stop it from building a dam across the Blue Nile. They were inadvertently heard on live TV proposing military action at a meeting

Egyptian politicians are embarrassed after being caught suggesting hostile acts against Ethiopia to stop it from building a dam across the Blue Nile.

They were inadvertently heard on live TV proposing military action at a meeting called by President Mohammed Morsi.

Ethiopia last week started diverting the flow of the river in preparation for the $4.2bn hydroelectric dam.

The Blue Nile is one of two major tributaries of the Nile.

On completion, the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam would be Africa’s largest.

It is expected to produce 6,000 megawatts, and its reservoir is scheduled to start filling next year.

Apology

As the participants did not know that the meeting was being aired live by state TV, they spoke their minds unreservedly.

Their suggestions centred around military action as a decisive response to what one of them called a “declaration of war”.

One of the politicians suggested sending special forces to destroy the dam; another thought of jet fighters to scare the Ethiopians; and a third called for Egypt to support rebel groups fighting the government in Addis Ababa.

“This could yield results in the diplomatic arena,” liberal politician and former presidential candidate Ayman Nour told the gathering.

Muhammad Anwar al-Sadat, the leader of the secular Reform and Development party, said the presidency should have warned the participants in advance that the meeting would be broadcast live.

“I am afraid most of the politicians who attended the meeting were not well informed about such a sensitive topic,” he told the BBC.

“But the statements made during the meeting do not represent the Egyptian official stance. It was just a chat between politicians who were angered by the Ethiopian plans.”

A presidential adviser apologised for failing to warn politicians.

“I am sorry for any unintentional embarrassment,” Bakinam al-Sharqawi said in a statement.

Egypt is the most populous country in the Middle East and highly dependent on the water of the world’s longest river.

Ethiopia’s decision to construct the dam challenges a colonial-era agreement that had given Egypt and Sudan rights to the Nile water, with Egypt taking 55.5 billion cubic metres and Sudan 18.5 billion cubic metres.

That agreement, first signed in 1929, took no account of the eight other nations along the 6,700km (4,160-mile) river and its basin.

Those countries have been agitating for a decade for a more equitable accord.

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182 COMMENTS
  • simerrr2012 June 6, 2013

    A friend in need is a friend indeed. We will stand by the side our Ethiopian brothers and sisters as you stand with us by giving shelter for thousands of Eritrean who flee the Nazi Higdef. Ethiopia is not a country to be scared by a country like Egypt who lost her air force in less than half hour during the six days war in 1976. If they think they can get help from Isayas to get easily to Ethiopian air space, that day will be the last day of Isayas and we Eritrean will free our country from coach roach higdef and live in peace and harmony with our sister land Ethiopia for the best future. A land who killed tortured raped thousands of our people in Sinai has no right what so ever to justify their lion share of Nile water. What signed by England is gone with England the day they left Africa for good.

  • Dr Berhe Ogbu June 6, 2013

    Isais’ visit to Egypt was about these issues. It is a good lesson to Ethiopians and the Ethiopian government. Egypt can use Eritrean soil to attack Ethiopia as long as Isaias is in power. Isaias was born for destruction and he can use what ever means he has to destroy Ethiopia. But Ethiopians never learn from history. Still they want to keep Isaias at any cost instead they work hard to overthrow him. What comes around goes around.

  • sam June 6, 2013

    Simmer 2012

    HALELUYA, here is what I see after disgrace Isayas that we will unit with our east african brothers and sisters especialy with Ethiopia we will leave it to history our pass and will progress to the future, any buddy touch Ethiopia means touching Eritrea,

  • KFLOM June 6, 2013

    Egyptians must use their common sense and work out how to be good country not a spoiling one. Ethiopia has every right to do what is with in its borders wether it is water or anything else. They the Egyptians should not play with fire by taking the advice of the bad dog Isaias Afewerki who could feed the peace full Eritrean people.
    Cooperations is much better than confrontation. Wisdom is much better than ignorance. What those MPs did was very ignorant.
    Please consider this. Put your self in the place of Ethiopia whose people were dying of starvation for decades. Would you seat down while you have natural gift whose water flows 360 days a year since the creation of the earth. So Egypt and Sudan need to work with all the six countries in a sprit of cooperation and try to manage properly the water that flows from the dam and others. I am very sure that both countries will have more water than the can use.
    War is not going to solve any thing, but destroy what you already have. So brothers let us work hand in hand to create new prosperous, democratic and united Africa. Egypt must play a leading roll in shaping Africa.
    I hope they do.

  • dekibat June 6, 2013

    We will fight along our Ethiopian brothers because they are the closest blood link we have in this world being culture, custom or bloodline. Simply because we want to administer our own affair does not mean we abandoned our brothers. Isias will be surprised that so many Eritreans will fight to death to destroy those people who called us slaves and used our girls as sex slaves. Few Eritreans stupidly who said they were arabs, The arabs Boduin and rashaida(Zibiedi) taught them a lesson that they should never dare to say Eritreans are arabs again. The arabs said to Eritreans how dare you claim that you are arabs that you are one of us , Eritreans are garbages while we arabs are the Godly choosen superior race people. They howed us by kidnapping Eritreans chaining them raping them. I ask every Eritrean how do you fill, NO MORE EXCUSE. Act like Habesha and not like the imported ideology of politics of hegdef and isias.

    • ahmed saleh June 6, 2013

      Go ahead to fight alongside of them but I am not stupid to go along with you . My only fight is for
      my Eritrean people in principle of their better life achievement nothing else .
      If I couldn’t secure my own home how I am expected to do for my neighbor security .

      • gb June 6, 2013

        Because your ambition is different from the none Muslim of Eritrean.

        • ahmed saleh June 7, 2013

          You are 100% wrong .
          My ambition is for my own Eritrean people safety nothing else . I do not want to see no more
          blood of my people poured for either Ethiopia , Sudan or Somalia cause . YOU GOT IT ! enough
          is enough of SHONKERTET , we are tired and done out of all the craps .

  • KFLOM June 6, 2013

    Egyptians must use their common sense and work out how to be good country not a spoiling one. Ethiopia has every right to do what is with in its borders wether it is water or anything else. They the Egyptians should not play with fire by taking the advice of the bad dog Isaias Afewerki who could not feed the peace full Eritrean people.
    Cooperations is much better than confrontation. Wisdom is much better than ignorance. What those MPs did was very ignorant.
    Please consider this. Put your self in the place of Ethiopia whose people were dying of starvation for decades. Would you seat down while you have natural gift whose water flows 360 days a year since the creation of the earth. So Egypt and Sudan need to work with all the six countries in a sprit of cooperation and try to manage properly the water that flows from the dam and others. I am very sure that both countries will have more water than the can use.
    War is not going to solve any thing, but destroy what you already have. So brothers let us work hand in hand to create new prosperous, democratic and united Africa. Egypt must play a leading roll in shaping Africa.
    I hope they do.

  • meresa June 6, 2013

    @simerr2012:
    I am Ethiopian. I really impressed by your comment. I wish this would be the feeling of majority of Eritreans. I say “majority”, because i know there are few who stick like glue with the dying Eritrean regime and spread hate and animosity between these historically sister countries. I know many Ethiopians are heart-broken by the unholy sentiments. We are neighbors for ever and a wise and far-sighted leader should have understood that, but we were unlucky. U know we could have made dynamic and vibrant economies, unparalleled, in Africa. Look at Singapore and Malaysia, they even do not have border. Their governments established a system which allows their citizens do any business across their borders freely. I was their it is even difficult to differentiate if you are in Malaysia or Singapore. Please Eritrean brothers let us be wise. Our future is brighter only if we live together in harmony, do business together. We swim together or sink together. There is nothing we benefit from animosity. In fact animosity is sign of uncivilized society.
    P/s: I came here to see your comment because i saw it in many Ethiopians facebook share and like it.

  • Amanuel June 6, 2013

    I think it was a delibrate attempt to scare the Ethiopians and turn down their plans. Egyptians must come to reality and negotiate how to share it. You might break or destroy the Dam but can you really destroy the Ethiopian and other people’s will for growth and development.

  • simerrr2012 June 6, 2013

    Nizgebrelka geberlu or negerelu and negerelu is something cheap and geberelu is much make sense. First of all Egypt has no historical right for ever to manipulate the Nile agreement done by colonizer almost more than half century ago. Today is not yesterday. What they are arguing does not make sense and what does not make sense should be annulated. If they cannot control their birth rate according their fertile land and source of water, why should be Ethiopia has to supply them with more water and fertile soil? Ethiopia is not responsible for their uncontrolled birth rate. By 2050 their population would be 150 million and they may need extra water so Ethiopia has to pump more water from other rivers and lakes? I need the Egyptian has to come to point that they cannot have big family the way the used to have and should apply 1 child per family so they can guarantee the stable Egypt. Do not come with the agreement the European colonizers colonized Africa..you guys have gold , diamond, Uranium, oil etc. and you did not know what to do and we came to take them. No child should die in Ethiopia because of drought and lack of rain when the Egyptian build hundreds hotels , recreation centers for tourists all part of the country .We cannot deny that Egypt needs the water from Nile, however sit and talk in a civilized way is the only solution so the share could be rearranged fairly .

  • Tes June 6, 2013

    Typical Arabs as usual hot air. Ethiopians have every right to build a dam in their country. This ill intention is no good for Egypt. Kemkedem emeslekin wohge ywesdeken Ethiopia is different now. We Eritreans have learned though experience if the Egyptians are counting on us to do their dirty job they better not try. Don’t be fooled by Iseyas. In Eritrea no one is willing to die for you. We have enough suffering and we when to live in peace with our neighbors let alone to fight against our Ethiopian brothers. Egyptians better cooperate with Ethiopia and try to work together for win win situation.

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