Ethiopia Summoned US Ambassador to Over Trump’s Remark

Foreign Affairs Minister of Ethiopia speaking to US Ambassador to Ethiopia on Saturday (Photo: MFAE)

Borkena

October 24, 2020

Ethiopia summoned on Saturday US Ambassador in Ethiopia over President Trump’s remark regarding the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam.

Ambassador H.E. Mike Raynor was called to the Foreign Affairs Ministry to provide clarifications on “the remarks the US President made regarding the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam (GERD) during his telephone conversation with the Prime Ministers of the Republic of Sudan and the State of Israel,” as reported by the Ministry.

Ethiopia’s Foreign Affairs Minister Gedu Andargachew is cited as saying “the incitement of war between Ethiopia and Egypt from a sitting US president neither reflects the longstanding partnership and strategic alliance between Ethiopia and the United States nor is acceptable in International Law governing interstate relations.”

Ethiopia stated that it will never negotiate its sovereignty while affirming commitment to the African Union-led trilateral negotiation with Sudan and Egypt.

Meanwhile, the European Union said on Saturday that it is time to support the negotiation process between Ethiopia, Egypt, and Sudan, not a time to create what it called unnecessary tension in the region.

The Union said “Over 250 million citizens of the Blue Nile Basin stand to benefit from a predictable agreement based on a negotiated arrangement for the filling of the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam (GERD) and are expecting investments in water security, irrigation, agricultural production and electricity generation.”

It was Josep Borrell, current High Representative of the European Union, who said so following the U.S President’s remark which Ethiopia called reckless and irresponsible.

In a phone conversation with the prime ministers of Sudan and Israel, Mr. Trump said “They [Egypt] will end up blowing up the dam. And I said it and I say it loud and clear — they will blow up that dam. And they have to do something”

He said so based on his understanding that the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam will stop the flow of water to Egypt and Sudan.