Socialize
Ethiopian PM warns Egypt off Nile war
French President Nicolas Sarkozy (R) Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak (C) and New Partnership for Africa's development (NEPAD) head Meles Zenawi attend a meeting of the Group of Eight (G8) and participating African countries at the G8 summit in L'Aquila, in central Italy, on July 10, 2009
By Barry Malone, Addis Ababa (Reuters) – Egypt could not win a war with Ethiopia over the River Nile and is also supporting rebel groups in an attempt to destabilise the Horn of Africa nation, Ethiopian Prime Minister Meles Zenawi said in an interview.
Egypt, Ethiopia and seven other countries through which the river passes have been locked in more than a decade of contentious talks driven by anger over the perceived injustice of a previous Nile water treaty signed in 1929.
Under the original pact Egypt is entitled to 55.5 billion cubic metres a year, the lion’s share of the Nile’s total flow of around 84 billion cubic metres, despite the fact some 85 percent of the water originates in Ethiopia.
Ethiopia, Uganda, Tanzania, Rwanda and Kenya signed a new deal to share the waters in May, provoking Egypt to call it a “national security” issue.
Meles said he was not happy with the rhetoric coming from the Egyptians but dismissed the claims of some analysts that war could eventually erupt.
“I am not worried that the Egyptians will suddenly invade Ethiopia,” Meles told Reuters in an interview. “Nobody who has tried that has lived to tell the story. I don’t think the Egyptians will be any different and I think they know that.”
The five signatories of the new deal have given the other Nile Basin countries one year to join the pact before putting it into action. Sudan has backed Egypt while Democratic Republic of the Congo and Burundi have so far refused to sign.
“The Egyptians have yet to make up their minds as to whether they want to live in the 21st or the 19th century,” Meles told Reuters in an interview, referring to the fact the original treaty was negotiated by colonial administrators.
“So the process appears to be stuck.”
“FISH IN TROUBLED WATERS”
Stretching more than 6,600 km (4,100 miles) from Lake Victoria to the Mediterranean, the Nile is a vital water and energy source for the nine countries through which it flows.
Egypt, almost totally dependent on the Nile and threatened by climate change, is closely watching hydroelectric dam construction in the upstream countries.
Ethiopia has built five huge dams over the last decade and has begun construction on a new $1.4 billion hydropower facility — the biggest in Africa.
Meles accused Egypt of trying to destabilise his country by supporting several small rebel groups but said it was a tactic that would no longer work.
“If we address the issues around which the rebel groups are mobilised then we can neutralise them and therefore make it impossible for the Egyptians to fish in troubled waters because there won’t be any,” he said.
“Hopefully that should convince the Egyptians that, as direct conflict will not work, and as the indirect approach is not as effective as it used to be, the only sane option will be civil dialogue.”
Ugandan President Yoweri Museveni in July called for a scheduled November meeting of the nine countries to be attended by heads of state. Meles said that would not happen now.
The last meeting of all sides ended in stalemate and angry exchanges between water ministers at a news conference in Ethiopian capital Addis Ababa.
“Ask the Egyptians to leave their culture and go and live in the desert because you need to take this water and to add it to other countries? No,” Egyptian Water Minister Mohamed Nasreddin Allam told Reuters at that meeting.
Pingback: Egypt says "amazed" by Ethiopia's Nile remarks | Ethiopian News - Breaking and Latest Ethiopian News
yonas
November 24, 2010 at 12:15 pm
really interesting and exact solution i m proud of our leader and also his decisions……….
belaw
November 24, 2010 at 2:17 pm
Egypt you knew you can’t win a war with Ethiopia. You Egyptian tries several time&failed. Ask the Italians you can learn from them. We are going to teach you a lesson not only for the whole arabs .Meles zenawi my beloved brother christ love you and Ethiopia
Nahim
November 25, 2010 at 12:29 pm
Ethiopia’s position is doing great and it should be known to all that Ethiopia needs the development of the basin to sustain the life of its people. So viva PM Meles………
zelalem
November 26, 2010 at 7:52 am
The Egyptians should know that what they think is not fair now we have felt it for decades!
Nobody is asking the Egyptians to leave their culture and go and live in the desert, but the Egyptians are asking us to sing “Abay Abay….” and watch for the skies for water!
That time is over now, thanks to our brave leaders!!!!!
ergetie
November 26, 2010 at 2:46 pm
viva PM Meles!!!!! i proud of you!! u r really ethiopian leader
AK
November 26, 2010 at 5:26 pm
WE ARE NOT ASKING A WATER, ITS OUR RIGHT TO USE OUR WATER.AND PREPARED TO DIE FOR OUR RIGHT AS OUR FATHERS DID. ANBESA MELES GOD IS WITH US.
Hailemariam
November 27, 2010 at 9:45 am
I think, all Ethiopians should stand up for our government plan(Nile project) to bring in to reality. It is the current generation history.
Kirubel
November 28, 2010 at 1:40 am
It is a great acheivement!!!!!
Bogale G.
November 28, 2010 at 3:10 pm
Fair use of Resources! An interanational thinking!
No war, civil dialouge is really a solution!
P.M. Meles, May St. Mary keep u healthy! Long live Meles!
kirubel lemma from sana
November 29, 2010 at 11:11 pm
melese is making history now ! As his ancestors did! This is your day ! And god is giving u a mission to do this big task! Then god and ethiopians with you! Go a head! Good over evil ! No body defeat you! The glory is in your hand! This is national interst! Kirubel lemma
Tsegay Fithanegest
November 30, 2010 at 8:15 am
We, our PM and leader his Excellency Meles Zenawi and we Ethiopians as a whole are not saying or wishing brother and sister Egyptians’ dye of Hunger or thirsty but work together in Nile River and live together utilizing it. This is even idea that every rational mind can justify it. Therefore fellow nation try to revise your thinking of colonial era and up date it with the state-of-the-art-of-geopolitics and technology.
demena
November 30, 2010 at 1:59 pm
if the war is started, we need a navy to defend egyptian navy, that means we need to resolve our problem with eritrea
Kumneger
December 2, 2010 at 7:38 pm
Emmmmmmmmmmm… I hate war !
Mike
December 3, 2010 at 8:26 am
I’m realy proud of our PM. Every body shold know that trying to attack Ethiopia is a succide.So becarefull Egiptians!!!!
mickey
December 5, 2010 at 2:52 am
i think it’s not wise to have a war. we ethiopians must not live with war in our hole life. it’s better to solv it with professional way. i don’t think to call meles a brave man or something else but he has to solv it in a good style he has to think for his own youngester whom goes for a war and give their life, not him that he goes for a war for ethiopia.
Habeshawit
December 6, 2010 at 3:08 pm
“I am not worried that the Egyptians will suddenly invade Ethiopia,” Meles told Reuters in an interview. “Nobody who has tried that has lived to tell the story. I don’t think the Egyptians will be any different and I think they know that.” I am really proud of our PM again.
Had2
December 9, 2010 at 3:19 pm
Fanally we are getting the tail of the lion so nobodys telling us what do so go head Mr Presedent!! That’s the should be ages ago anyway.
I’m proud of you Mr Presedent!!!
MICHAEL
December 11, 2010 at 9:42 am
I HAVE BEEN THROGH 3 GOVERNMENTS.ONE IN GLIPS ,ONE LIVED TROUGH THE LATER ONE IN DISTANT.BUT THIS ONE LOOKS NOT TOO BAD.
Paul
December 12, 2010 at 3:48 pm
No one wins with a war. Going to war with the Egyptians would send Ethiopia back to the stone age as all investors would leave and take their money to other countries where it is safe and stable. Infrastructure and economic development in Ethiopia would be delaid many years.The water matter needs to be resolved quickly, peacefully and diplomatically.
Pingback: Ethiopian PM warns Egypt off Nile war | Ethiopia | Disputed Waters Blog
leaul
December 16, 2010 at 3:06 pm
Melese,yanbesaw giligel,continue as soon to use our resource,we are on your said,As an individual I’m the first to fight and sacrifice my self.If they are not willing to negotiate ,let’s stop the water totally and sifelig enideteliba ynchacha
gigna wedi meles
December 18, 2010 at 7:11 am
wey gibts please stop talking about war because you know usssssssssss The lions of africa who ruled to saudi arabia………. Ethiopians… so if u even fire a single single shot you’ll all go to the early ages where there were people diying of hunger with no nile so abay’s 85% belongs to ethiopia but we are asking only 10+% so you better say ok in peace before our gegna(victorious) people and military start marching on your white asses and heads and no comment about being muslims because we’ve brothers and sisters in ethiopia who are muslim and live in harmony with christians and defend their country to life.
Long life and health to meles zenawi.
gibts واي الرجاء التوقف عن الحديث عن الحرب لأنك تعرف usssssssssss الاسود في افريقيا الذين حكموا لجزيره العرب السعودية………. الاثيوبيون… إذا كان الأمر كذلك يو حتى اطلاق رصاصة واحدة واحدة عليك الذهاب إلى جميع الأعمار في وقت مبكر حيث كان هناك أشخاص diying من الجوع حتى مع عدم وجود النيل أباي في 85 ٪ ينتمي الى اثيوبيا لكننا نطالب فقط + 10 ٪ حتى تتمكن أفضل يقول موافق في السلام لدينا قبل gegna (المنتصرة) نسمة وبدء مسيرة عسكرية على الحمير الخاص الأبيض ورؤساء واي تعليق حول المسلمين يجري لأننا إخوة وأخوات في اثيوبيا والذين هم من المسلمين يعيشون في وئام مع المسيحيين والدفاع عن بلدهم في الحياة.
حياة طويلة وصحية لميليس زيناوي.
gibts wey s’il vous plaît arrêter de parler de guerre parce que vous savez usssssssssss Les lions de l’Afrique qui a régné en Arabie saoudite ………. Éthiopiens … si u même tirer un seul coup unique que vous allez tous aller au plus jeune âge où il y avait des gens meurs de faim sans Nil pour que 85% de Abay fait partie de l’Éthiopie, mais nous demandons que 10 +% afin de mieux vous dire ok en paix avant notre gegna (vainqueur) et les gens commencent marche militaire sur le cul blanc et la tête et pas de commentaires à être musulmans parce que nous avons des frères et sœurs en Ethiopie qui sont musulmans et vivent en harmonie avec les chrétiens et de défendre leur pays à la vie.
Longue vie et santé, M. Meles Zenawi.
韦伊gibts请停止对战争的谈论，因为你知道usssssssssss非洲的狮子谁统治沙特阿拉伯……….埃塞俄比亚人…因此，如果ü甚至引起火灾一个单杆你都去早龄那里有没有人尼罗河饥饿diying所以阿拜的85％属于埃塞俄比亚，但我们只要求10 +％，使您更好地说，在和平确定在我们gegna（胜利）人民和军队开始在您的头白驴，也没有关于是穆斯林兄弟，因为我们已经在埃塞俄比亚姐妹谁是穆斯林和基督徒生活在和谐，捍卫自己的国家生活评论迈进。
长寿命和健康梅莱斯。
Вэй gibts пожалуйста прекратить говорить о войне, потому что вы знаете usssssssssss львов Африки, которые правили в Саудовскую Аравию ………. Эфиопов … так что если и даже пожар одного единого выстрела вы будете все ли пойдет в раннем возрасте, где были люди diying от голода, не так Нила 85% Абая принадлежит Эфиопии, но мы просим только 10 +%, так что вам лучше сказать ОК в мире до нашей gegna (победный) людей и военной начать маршируют на белой задницы и головы и без комментариев о том, мусульман, потому что мы братья и сестры в Эфиопии, которые являются мусульманами и жить в гармонии с христианами и защищать свою страну к жизни.
Длинная жизнь и здоровье Мелес Зенауи.
george
December 20, 2010 at 10:47 am
nice speech Mr.prime minister
kangaro
December 25, 2010 at 10:38 am
well spoken. keep it up.
new
December 30, 2010 at 12:16 pm
oh… GOD will answer this …….
solomon, AAU Lecturer
January 1, 2011 at 9:23 am
Ethiopia was devoid of her natural resource, Abay for centuries, now The government and people are gona to make history
Tesmamu
January 4, 2011 at 9:56 pm
Ethipoians and Egyptians shouldn’t be pushed to war because of some misguided arrogant stand of politicians. As rightly stated by Meles and others the Nile water belongs to all countries through which it flows and all of them have the right to use it appropriately. What kind of leader wouldn’t understand this. I believe the Egyptian people and the Sudanese know better than this. They need to educate their leaders and if they can’t be educated, the alternative is clear and it definitely is not war with neighboring countries.
Egyptian
January 5, 2011 at 5:48 pm
Hi all talk to you fm EGY
and give me a beark mr. PM i think it doesnt work like that at all
all the 9 Coun. shars in the nile water. so it is not your water alone it’s a gift for all.
for the war topic Kindly be known that we are a peacfull people . we dont need war BUT we also will not permitte to any one to take our water so if it will go like get ready
Abdi
January 8, 2011 at 6:23 pm
My brother egiptain, u know absinians are just & we don’t opperssed by anyone & we have full right to use our rivers to curb poverty by help of GOD. If u start war, people of ethiopia will not wait gov’t to fight. You sold palistian to jewsh & u can’t do the same on us.
abreham
April 1, 2011 at 1:14 pm
bravo pm meles!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
ezra
April 1, 2011 at 10:35 pm
Keeping Ethiopia’s interest over the Nile has moved a historic step ahead (not ignoring the right of others). I am really proud of PM Meles for his wise and courageous approaches. I wish if he will have few more terms so that we will have the chance to see more landslide changes.
Sisay
April 2, 2011 at 9:11 am
Dear Egytians how long you gonna resist . With out peace you life would be a day dream.
bra
April 7, 2011 at 8:07 pm
THANK’S PM meles. abay is our resource so we can’t ask any body to use !!