Mubarak Tasks Irrigation, Agriculture, Trade and Industry to Intensify Cooperation with Ethiopia because of the Positive Attitudes Towards the Rights of Egypt

President Hosni Mubarak has issued mandates to all relevant ministries to increase their cooperation with Ethiopia in the coming stage, in all fields, especially in agriculture, trade and industry, water resources and irrigation.
 
These mandates arose due to the positive attitudes toward Egypt and the Sudan during the last round of negotiations between the Nile Basin countries.  A compromise formula of the signing of the legal and institutional framework for cooperation between these countries was sought.
Mubarak's assignments included the exchange of visits at all levels with both Ethiopian parliamentary, public or official levels, in order to provide all possible facilities to Egyptian businessmen and to increase their investments there.
 
Dr. Mohamed Nasr El-Din Allam, Minister of Water Resources and Irrigation, revealed that Dr Ahmed Nazif, the Prime Minister, will pay an official visit to Addis Ababa early next month to activate the cooperation between the two countries in all fields, whether agricultural or bilateral trade.
Allam said, in press statements yesterday, that relations with Ethiopia are vital for the benefit of the two countries.  They are among the priorities of the foreign policy of Egypt in light of historical ties and relations of the river; with 85% of the water received by Egypt coming from the Ethiopian plateau, compared with 15% coming from the Equatorial plateau.
He stressed that the next few months will see more cooperation between the two countries, especially throughout projects that involve agriculture, fish farming. the delivery of drinking water to poor areas and the exchange of experiences in the areas of raising the efficiency of technicians and workers in the Ethiopian water resources.
For his part, Amin Abaza, Minister of Agriculture and Land Reclamation, assured that preparations are underway for a visit by an elected member from the private sector of Ethiopia, to discuss the investment of opportunities available to inject more investments in agriculture and industry.
He pointed out that the factory has already begun for water pipes and another for the manufacture of electric meters, in addition to the establishment of a private abattoir by an Egyptian investor, to increase Egypt's imports of meat from Ethiopia.
Abaza pointed out that a study is underway to expand the import of agricultural crops.  Egypt needs to meet the needs of domestic consumption of products such as pulses and beans, in addition to the expansion of the importation of chilled or frozen meat and to the study of possibilities in regards to the importation of live animals for immediate slaughter near the port of Safaga in the Red Sea.
He revealed that a high-level mission from the Ministry of Agriculture and heads of the agricultural sectors, are cooperating with Ethiopia, as well as experts from the Agricultural Research Center, to discuss investment prospects in Ethiopia and help to prepare a list of Egyptian investors in order to direct more investment to this country including a visit from an elected headed of the Ethiopian Minister of agriculture to Egypt.  This visit is expected to be during the period from July to early September.
The statements from the two ministers came as Ethiopia supported Egypt's position during the ministerial meetings of the Council of Ministers of the River Nile Basin countries.  The attempt of the countries of the south Nile did not recognize the historical rights of Egypt in the Nile resources.  This meeting concluded last Saturday. 
Al-Masry Al-Youm has learnt that Dr. Mohamed Nasr Allam is scheduled to begin his official visit to Sudan early next week to follow-up on the cooperative projects in the area of water with the Sudanese side.  They will also consider the completion of joint water projects between the two sides.