(MENAFN- Daily News Egypt) Looking back at one year of President Abdel Fattah Al-Sisi in power, Egypt's restored active relations with other African states would be considered one of the major strokes. On 23 March, the Egyptian, Ethiopian and Sudanese heads of states were photographed holding hands, having signed a "good will" agreement over the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam (GERD).
Hosni Mubarak's last minister of irrigation, Nasr ElDeen Allam took Daily News Egypt on a quick tour through the history of Egyptian-Ethiopian relations, up until reaching the dam agreement.
Why did former Egyptian president Sadat threaten to militarily intervene in Ethiopia?
It was a threat of war. The Ethiopian president had threatened to build a dam on the Blue Nile. Sadat reached the point where he said we would rather go die in Ethiopia [defending water security] instead of dying in Egypt.
Was this military threat a good strategy to deal with the situation?
Matters cannot be judged in a shallow way. Sadat was a liberal, while the Ethiopian president was a socialist. The Soviet Union was on the verge of death. Such international powers came into play, so it was difficult to judge the situation back then.
However, mirrored in this situation is Ethiopia's constant individual action when it comes to building dams without consulting with downstream countries, which incites Egypt to hinder Ethiopia in order to protect its people, since it is the only source of water. At times, Egypt threatens, at others the country negotiates with Ethiopia. What is important is the result. Sadat stopped the dam back then.
How were Egypt's relations with Ethiopia before the assassination attempt against Hosni Mubarak in 1995?
Since the time of the pharaohs, our relations with Ethiopia have been all about competing powers over the horn of Africa. Relations are shaped around a power struggle, not a military one, between the two largest powers in the African region over who gets more influence and the higher political status both regionally and internationally. Up until the 25 January Revolution, Egypt had the upper hand.
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