Egyptian President Abdel-Fattah El-Sisi told the Ethiopian PM in New York that he plans to visit Ethiopia, said presidential spokesperson Alaa Youssef on Wednesday. The date of the visit has not been finalised, he added. The visit signifies a positive development in relations between the two countries following tensions that arose from disagreements over the new dam, Youssef explained. The meeting between the two officials comes as part of several meetings in New York on the sidelines of the 69th UN General Assembly session to discuss pressing political and economic issues. Youssef described the meeting with Ethiopia's PM as friendly, adding that the officials agreed to enhance cooperation between the two countries in different fields and not just limit it to the dam. The Ethiopian PM assured El-Sisi that his country is committed to all that has been agreed upon regarding the new dam, said Youssef. The meeting tackled what was discussed in the tripartite committee meeting which was held in Addis Ababa earlier this month. Accordingly, Ethiopia's PM said that all of Egypt's worries should be put aside. Talks have been ongoing between Egypt, Ethiopia and Sudan regarding Ethiopia's Grand Renaissance Dam, currently under construction, amid Egypt's worries that it will affect its water share. The president has also met with Jordan's King Abdullah II and is also set to meet with Iraq's new prime minister, Haidar Al-Abadi. He also met with a number of US officials, politicians and businessmen. El-Sisi is set to meet US President Barack Obama on Thursday. El-Sisi was accompanied by an Egyptian delegation including foreign minister Shoukry, supply minister Hanafy, investment minister Tarek Salman, former manpower minister and Nasserist figure Kamal Abu Eita, political analyst Emad Gad, former parliamentarian Mohamed Abu Hamed as well as a number of media figures. http://english.ahram.org.eg/News/111578.aspx
