Winds of war: Trump warns Ethiopia that Egypt will bomb the Renaissance Dam
The President of the United States, Donald Trump, warned Ethiopia that without negotiations with Egypt and Sudan, the Egyptian military will bomb the dam
Ami Rojkes Dombe
| 26/10/2020
Official White House Photo by Tia Dufour
Ethiopia rejected on Saturday the "belligerent threats" against the huge dam that has almost been completed on the Blue Nile River, a day after U.S. President Donald Trump said Egypt will "blow up" the project it has called an existential threat, according to a report by the Washington Post.
Trump made the comment while announcing that Sudan will start to normalize its ties with Israel. "They (Egypt) will end up blowing up the dam," Trump said. "And I said it and I say it loud and clear…they’ll blow up that dam. And they have to do something."
Ethiopia's foreign minister summoned the U.S. ambassador to seek clarification, and said "the incitement of war between Ethiopia and Egypt from a sitting U.S. president neither reflects the longstanding partnership and strategic alliance between Ethiopia and the United States nor is acceptable in international law governing interstate relations,” a statement said.
Without mentioning Trump or the U.S., the office of Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed issued a separate critical statement amid an outcry in Ethiopia over Trump’s latest threat regarding the dam. The Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam that was built at a cost of $4.6 billion is a source of national pride, aimed at lifting millions of people out of poverty.
“The man doesn’t have a clue on what he is talking about,” Former Prime Minister Hailemariam Dessalegn tweeted, describing Trump’s remark as reckless and irresponsible.
The President of the United States, Donald Trump, warned Ethiopia that without negotiations with Egypt and Sudan, the Egyptian military will bomb the dam
Official White House Photo by Tia Dufour
Ethiopia rejected on Saturday the "belligerent threats" against the huge dam that has almost been completed on the Blue Nile River, a day after U.S. President Donald Trump said Egypt will "blow up" the project it has called an existential threat, according to a report by the Washington Post.
Trump made the comment while announcing that Sudan will start to normalize its ties with Israel. "They (Egypt) will end up blowing up the dam," Trump said. "And I said it and I say it loud and clear…they’ll blow up that dam. And they have to do something."
Ethiopia's foreign minister summoned the U.S. ambassador to seek clarification, and said "the incitement of war between Ethiopia and Egypt from a sitting U.S. president neither reflects the longstanding partnership and strategic alliance between Ethiopia and the United States nor is acceptable in international law governing interstate relations,” a statement said.
Without mentioning Trump or the U.S., the office of Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed issued a separate critical statement amid an outcry in Ethiopia over Trump’s latest threat regarding the dam. The Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam that was built at a cost of $4.6 billion is a source of national pride, aimed at lifting millions of people out of poverty.
“The man doesn’t have a clue on what he is talking about,” Former Prime Minister Hailemariam Dessalegn tweeted, describing Trump’s remark as reckless and irresponsible.
