Egypt’s FM discusses bilateral relations with Ethiopian counterpart

FM Sameh Shoukry called for a meeting with the foreign ministers of Sudan and Ethiopia before the African summit in Addis Ababa later this month

Egypt’s Foreign Minister Sameh Shoukry discussed on Tuesday with his Ethiopian counterpart minister Workineh Gebeyehu Egyptian-Ethiopian bilateral relations and congratulated him on becoming the country’s top diplomat.

According to a statement by the Egyptian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Shoukry told Gebeyehu in a telephone call that they should arrange a meeting before the African summit in Addis Ababa by the end of the month.

Shoukry also suggested that that the Sudanese foreign minister should join the meeting to discuss the latest developments of the Ethiopian Grand Renaissance Dam and the progress of the ongoing technical studies.

The two ministers also discussed bilateral relations and cooperation between the two countries.

Workineh Gebeyehu was appointed as the foreign affairs minister of Ethiopia in November.

The news of the telephone call between Shoukry and Gebeyehu comes to ease the tension between the two countries as the Ethiopian government accused the Egyptian government of supporting Ethiopian opposition groups in the last three months.

Egypt dismissed the accusations of Ethiopian President Mulatu Teshome claiming that Egyptian “elements” are supporting armed opposition groups in his country with the aim of preventing Ethiopia from building the Ethiopian Grand Renaissance Dam, which Cairo fears could reduce its share of Nile water.

In March 2015, Egypt, Ethiopia and Sudan signed a trilateral declaration of principles that guarantees that all parties will take steps to ensure the dam will not harm the interests of all parties concerned.