Saudi visit to Ethiopia dam further strains ties with Egypt

A high-level Saudi delegation’s visit to a controversial dam in Ethiopia has angered Egypt, dealing a fresh blow to the already strained relations between Cairo and Riyadh.

According to reports, Egyptian media lashed out at Saudi Arabia over the visit to the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam (GERD) on Friday, describing it an act of revenge that could deepen tensions between the two countries.

The ongoing construction of the 6,000-megawatt power dam on river Nile by Ethiopia has been a source of contention especially from Egypt that considers the River Nile as its lifeline.

Ahmed al-Khateeb, a senior adviser at the Saudi royal court and board chairman of the Saudi Fund for Development (SFD), visited the site and met Ethiopia's Prime Minister Hailemariam Dessalegn on Friday. 

Khateeb’s visit is the second of its kind by a Saudi official to Addis Ababa in less than a week after the kingdom's agriculture minister traveled to Ethiopia.

Egypt’s news commentator Mohamed Ali Khayr said "any interference in the GERD project implies a direct threat to Egypt’s national security," urging Riyadh to "review its policies before it can only blame itself for what ensues."

Speaking on Egyptian TV, Khayr also slammed the Saudi policymakers for being "amateurs," blaming them for a complete breakdown of bilateral relations. 

Ahmed Moussa said over his talk show on Egyptian satellite TV channel Sada al-Balad that if Saudi Arabia and the Persian Gulf states were to invest in Ethiopia, their investment would be lost in the Nile.

"The GERD will not last forever, a volcano might erupt at any moment. So for those looking to invest billions in this project, your money might as well be going to waste," he said. 

Tarek Fahmy, a lecturer at the American University in Cairo, also warned Riyadh that his country’s patience is waning and that Egypt will no longer accept actions that threaten its national security.

"You will soon hear that we have the capacity to intervene in the Persian Gulf region's affairs and provide support for the royals who oppose current Saudi policies," Fahmy said.

"Egypt has many cards to pressure Saudi Arabia, which we have yet to use," he added.

Egypt fears that the operation of the dam on the Nile will reduce the amount of water it gets, hence threatening its livelihood. 

SS