Egypt's irrigation minister Hossam Moghazy had a tour with his Ethiopian and Sudanese counterparts to examine Ethiopia's Grand Renaissance Dam, MENA reported. The visit is considered the first by an Egyptian official to the dam's construction site since it first began in April 2011. The Grand Renaissance Dam has been a source of concern for the Egyptian government who fear their water supply will be affected by its construction. The ministers were transported by a military helicopter to the construction site, which is located in a forest, 50 kilometres away from the Ethiopian-Sudanese border. Tripartite talks have been ongoing between Egypt, Sudan and Ethiopia to discuss the effects of the dam. The tripartite committee agreed during meetings in Sudan's Khartoum last August to conduct two studies to gauge the effects of Ethiopia's Grand Renaissance Dam on its neighbouring countries. According to Egypt's National Planning Institute, Egypt will likely need an additional 21 billion cubic metres of water per year by 2050 – on top of its current 55 billion cubic metre quota – to meet the water needs of a projected population of 150 million. Source : Ahram online
