Abdur Rahman Alfa Shaban with REUTERS
Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi has officially responded to accusations by Ethiopia that the north African country was supporting anti-government elements protesting in the country.
According to the Egyptian president, ‘‘Egypt does not conspire against anyone, I want to assure the brothers in Ethiopia that Egypt has never offered any support to the opposition and will not carry out any conspiratorial action against Ethiopia,’‘ al-Sisi said.
Ethiopia had pointed accusing fingers at its northern neighbour Eritrea and Egypt for stoking the deadly protests that has hit the country.
Ethiopia’s government spokesperson said Egypt, which is embroiled in a row with Addis Ababa over sharing Nile water, was backing armed gangs even though the backing may not be sponsored by the Egyptian state.
The construction of Ethiopia’s 6,000-megawatt Grand Renaissance Dam has become a bone of contention between Ethiopia and Egypt, which lies downstream and relies on the Nile River for agricultural, industrial and domestic water use.
