Egypt's leader on negotiations with Ethiopia: Sought to use diplomacy

Egypt is committed to using diplomacy to resolve the crisis with Ethiopia over the construction of a giant hydroelectric power plant on the Blue Nile. This was reported by Reuters news agency, citing a statement by Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi. Negotiations were halted again on Wednesday, June 17, this time just two weeks before the expected launch of the $4 billion Great Renaissance Dam, which is being built near Ethiopia's border with Sudan. Al-Sisi called on the United Nations Security Council to intervene to resume negotiations. When we addressed the Security Council, we sought to use diplomacy to the end, Sisi said in his statement at the air base. We need to move decisively towards the conclusion of negotiations and reaching an agreement and a solution that is in the interests of all [the parties], he said. Recall that Egypt, whose water supply is almost completely dependent on the Nile, seeks to conclude a deal that would guarantee the creation of a mechanism to resolve differences before the dam begins to operate.