Egypt, Ethiopia in tug-of-war over Nile river’s course

At the end of May, Ethiopia began to change the course of the Nile river, displacing it by several hundred meters, in a move that has outraged Egypt and generated near panic over future water supplies. Long-standing animosities between the two countries has flared up with renewed bitterness. The Egyptians see the river as a gift from God – to them. Without the Nile there would have been no Ancient Egypt and its great heritage, only desert. The Nile remains a vital artery. But Ethiopia, where most of the river’s water originates, also wants to make use of it and has been planning a huge dam for years. Egypt depends on the Nile for 98% of its water – and water is in increasingly short supply.


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