The Independent Uganda: You get the Truth we Pay the Price
Washington, USA | THE INDEPENDENT | President Donald Trump has voiced his concern about the failed talks on the building of the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam (GERD) on the River Nile, saying he believes Egypt will launch an attack against it.
He blamed Ethiopia for ignoring a deal he had struck with Egypt.
“I had a deal done, and then they broke the deal. They can’t do that. So the deal was done. And it’s very dangerous situation because Egypt can’t able to live that way, they will end up blowing the dam. And I said it! I said it loud and clear! They blow up that dam,” Trump said in a call to Sudan and Israel leaders on a day when talks of restoration of relations of the African and Middle East country, was confirmed.
Ethiopia started building the GERD in 2011, while Egypt is concerned that the dam might affect its 55.5-billion-cubic-meter annual share of Nile water. Sudan has recently been raising similar concerns over the dam.
Over the past few years, tripartite talks on the rules of filling and operating the GERD have been fruitless, including those hosted by Washington and recently by the African Union.
Ethiopia started diverting the flow of the River Nile in 2013 in preparation for the $4.2bn hydroelectric dam. The Blue Nile is one of two major tributaries of the Nile.
The Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam is set to be Africa’s largest, and shoul produce 6,000 megawatts.
Trump made the remarks Friday as he announced Sudan and Israel had agreed to normalize relations.
“HUGE win today for the United States and for peace in the world. Sudan has agreed to a peace and normalization agreement with Israel,” Trump said in a tweet.
“With the United Arab Emirates and Bahrain, that’s THREE Arab countries to have done so in only a matter of weeks. More will follow!”
Earlier, Trump formally informed Congress the US will remove Sudan from the US list of State Sponsors of Terrorism. The action frees Sudan from US sanctions, and is in response to Sudan making payment of $335-million for US victims of terror attacks.
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MUSEVENI: There should be no reason for conflict over River Nile https://t.co/Q7HNeF4DJ5 pic.twitter.com/fRfgYklSUP
— The Independent (@UGIndependent) March 2, 2017
United State of America is leading by mentally insen man. Ethiopian-American Never support trump. Do your best for Bydon to win next election.
this speech is guarantee to show the peak of trump insanity!!! for normal person it’s natural right to use own resources without hurting other’s.
these is what we Ethiopian’s are saying before, today’s and tomorrow.
Finally am really shamed the great American to have such kind of president.
The president knows nothing about the dam, as usual he is reflecting his racist attitudes towards black people and sub-Saharan africans.Ethiopians shouldn’t expect any positive thinking from this man.
What does he want? The guy is a pathological liar. He has even abused Africans badly. Let him mind his own business and leave Africans alone.
yes you guys are right there will be a time when the chickens have come home to roost .
We are not crazy like you
The bull, who use his lounge to think, guy in the white house need to see back the history of ‘HABESHA’ on our unity in-respective of our diversity in our home. I want to tell him that we can defend our self from any foreign invaders (you crazy man you can ask your crazy advisors what our fathers had done on fascist ITALY) to protect our BLOODY dam.
This title is incredibly misleading. As an African publication your editors/writers need to be more responsible with wording presentation of facts. This is the most irresponsible title and empty worded article I’ve read on the subject.
This is far from a warning by Trump, it is a threat. In fact it is incitement to violence. Egypt has sabotaged Ethiopia for years to halt the GERD dam; by fostering ties with Ethiopia’s adversaries, shipping weapons to South Sudan. The only difference is that the effort is now explicitly US backed.
Trump nor the US has any business concerning negotiations within African nations. The debate should not even be taken out of Africa. A hydroelectric dam on the Blue Nile will not interrupt core water supply to Egypt (consult unbiased studies, there are plenty). Egypt has built multiple dams/barrages (notable Aswan dam, largest and arguably faultiest manmade lake in Africa). Further, the most pressing threat facing the Nile stems from population growth and climate change, not from construction of the GERD. The dam will only elevate Ethiopia economically, which is the real issue Egypt has with the GERD. Egypt will swing with the Arab League when it suits and with sub-Saharan African when it doesn’t. This entire controversy is politics, and is not at fairly nor properly presented.
The speech by the American president about THE GREAT RENECENSE DAM is irresponsible and biased for Egypt. He did not have enough information about the dam. Because the purpose of the dam is for generating electric power for Ethiopia its 65% and above citizens are live without light or in a darkness whereas Egyptians secure more than 99% of the residents electrification per household. In general what president Trump said about the dam an expected from him and do not know the history of Ethiopia and seeks a recognition from EGYPT and will use Egyptian officials for cheap political advantage in the negotiation of Africa Israel deal.