Ethiopian minister calls for expanding cooperation to cover economic, development issues

Ethiopian Minister of Water, Irrigation and Electricity Motuma Mekasa stressed the importance of boosting cooperation between his country, Egypt and Sudan to cover various economic and development domains in favor of the peoples of the three countries.

In press statements on the sidelines of his participation in the six-way meeting that groups the ministers of foreign affairs and water of Egypt, Ethiopia and Sudan in Khartoum on Monday, the minister said that relations between the two countries should not be restricted to the water issue.

He expressed hope for reaching a solution to the Renaissance Dam problem that satisfies all parties.

Talks among ministers of three countries resumed in the Sudanese capital on Monday amid willingness of all the sides concerned to reach positive results that would materialize the aspiration of the three states.

The first session of the meeting began on Sunday by an opening ceremony that was followed by a number of closed sessions that tackled the concerns of downstream nations, Egypt and Sudan, towards the controversial dam and the explanation of some of the items of the Declaration of Principles that was signed by the three countries in March in Khartoum.

This is the 11th meeting to be held by officials of the three countries since Ethiopia floated the idea of holding the dam two years ago.