Egypt FM on renewing talks on Nile dam issue

STORY: Egypt FM Dam - Egypt FM on renewing talks on Nile dam issue

LENGTH: 01:33

FIRST RUN: 1702

RESTRICTIONS:

TYPE: Arabic/Natsound

SOURCE: ASSOCIATED PRESS

STORY NUMBER: 4344366

DATELINE: 16 September 2021 - Cairo

SHOTLIST:

RESTRICTION SUMMARY:

ASSOCIATED PRESS

Cairo - 16 September 2021

1. Various of Egyptian Foreign Minister Sameh Shoukry and Democratic Republic of Congo Foreign Minister Christophe Lutundula at meeting

2. Various of Shoukry, Lutundula and delegations at meeting

3. Shoukry and Lutundula at news conference

4. SOUNDBITE (Arabic) Sameh Shoukry, Egyptian Foreign Minister:

"The statement issued by the (UN) Security Council mentioned the time element twice, once when it emphasised on a prompt resumption of the negotiations (about the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam) and again regarding reaching a legally binding agreement in the near future and this shows the concern of the council members on reaching an agreement regarding this issue within a reasonable time frame and not in an open frame that facilitates more unilateral actions that hinders the situation."

5. Shoukry and Lutundula at news conference

STORYLINE:

Egypt's chief diplomat on Thursday welcomed a statement by the UN Security Council which encouraged the resumption of stalled negotiations over a contentious dam building project on the Nile River.

On Wednesday, the Council encouraged Egypt, Ethiopia and Sudan to continue talks about water availability from the dam that the Ethiopians are building on the river's main tributary.

Speaking in Cairo, Egyptian Foreign Minister Sameh Shoukry said that the Council's position showed that the UN was hopeful that a binding agreement on the dispute would be reached in the near future.

The Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam on the Blue Nile is 80% complete and is expected to reach full generating capacity in 2023, making it Africa's largest hydroelectric power plant and the world's seventh largest, according to reports in Ethiopia's state media.

Ethiopia says the $5 billion dam is essential to make sure the vast majority of its people have electricity.

Egypt and Sudan have said 10 years of negotiations with Ethiopia have failed, and the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam is starting a second filling of its reservoir.

They say this not only violates a 2015 agreement but poses "an existential threat" to 150 million people in their downstream nations.

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