Egyptian President Abdel-Fattah El-Sisi is heading to Ethiopia’s capital Thursday, one day ahead of the African Summit, on a three-day visit.
El-Sisi’s visit to Addis Ababa is the first since he became president. He will be leading the Egyptian delegation at the summit, which starts Friday.
The Egyptian president is expected to hold several meetings in parallel with the summit, including with Ethiopia’s prime minister and the president of South Sudan, according to Aswat Masryia.
Egyptian-Ethiopian relations have been tense in recent years since Cairo raised concerns about the impact of Ethiopia’s Grand Renaissance Dam project on the Blue Nile, which may affect Egypt’s water supply.
Ethiopia has repeatedly said that Egypt, a downstream country, will not be negatively affected by the dam.
Both countries, along with Sudan that is also downstream, have agreed to commission a new report by an international consultancy firm on the probable effects of the dam.
The theme of this year’s African Summit is “The Year of Women Empowerment and Development towards Africa’s Agenda.”
Egypt’s membership in the continental body was suspended in 2013 after the ouster of former president Mohamed Morsi, but restored last summer.
Source: Ahram Online
