BBC
Ethiopia and Egypt have agreed to hold further talks to quell tensions over the building of a new dam on the Blue Nile, their foreign ministers say.
Ethiopia's Tedros Adhanom said the two nations have chosen to swim rather than sink together, AFP news agency reports. He met his Egyptian counterpart Kamel Amr after Egypt opposed Ethiopia's plans for a hydroelectric dam.
Egypt is worried that the dam will reduce the water supply vital for its 84 million people.Last week, Egypt's President Mohamed Morsi said he did not want war but he would not allow Egypt's water supply to be endangered by the Great Ethiopian Renaissance Dam.Previous statements about the dam had been made "in the heat of the moment", Mr Amr said, at a joint press conference with Mr Tedros in the Ethiopian capital, Addis Ababa, AFP reports. "We are embarking on a period of mutual cooperation," Mr Amr is quoted by Bloomberg news agency as saying. "We're looking to the future and I think the future will be very good for both of us." In a joint statement, Mr Amr and Mr Tedros said that relations between Egypt and Ethiopia remained "brotherly" and talks to assess the impact of the dam would continue."We have two options, either to swim or sink together. I think Ethiopia chooses, and so does Egypt, to swim together," Mr Tedros said, AFP reports.
Mr Amr said Sudan would also be involved in the talks"[We agreed to] ask for further studies to ascertain the effects of the dam, not only the safety of the dam, the environmental effects, but also the effects of the dam on the downstream countries," he added, AFP reports. Ethiopia's parliament ratified a controversial treaty last week to replace colonial-era agreements that gave Egypt and Sudan the biggest share of the Nile's water.The treaty had earlier been signed by five other Nile-basin countries - Rwanda, Tanzania, Uganda, Kenya and Burundi.It is intended to replace the 1929 treaty written by Britain that awarded Egypt veto power over any project involving the Nile by upstream countries.Ethiopia says the $4.7bn (£3.1bn) dam will eventually provide 6,000 megawatts of power.Egypt was apparently caught by surprise when Ethiopia started diverting the Blue Nile - a tributary of the Nile - last month.Addis Ababa says the river will be slightly diverted but will then be able to follow its natural course.Mr Morsi said Egypt had no objection to projects in Nile basin states "on condition that those projects do not affect or damage Egypt's legal and historical rights".Earlier this month Egyptian politicians were inadvertently heard on live TV proposing military action over the dam.
Wednesday, June 19, 2013
Ethiopia admits to having ineligible player in World Cup qualifier
Teams is set to lose points for infraction
Beyene Minyahile,
shown in this file photo, had acquired two yellow cards ahead of Ethiopia’s game
on June 8 against Botswana. (File Getty Images)
Togo and Equatorial Guinea also are accused of having used ineligible players, potentially throwing three of Africa’s World Cup qualifying groups into chaos ahead of the final round of games in September.
The Ethiopian Football Federation said that Minyahile Beyene should not have played in the 2-1 win in Botswana on June 8 after he picked up two yellow cards in previous qualifiers.
If the game is awarded to Botswana by FIFA, the regular punishment for ineligible players, Ethiopia’s qualification for the playoffs would be put on hold and it would be just two points ahead of Group A rival South Africa ahead of the final round.
Cases against Togo and Equatorial Guinea also could hamper Libya and Tunisia’s hopes, and give sudden boosts to Cameroon and Cape Verde.
Togo could be stripped of a 2-0 win over Cameroon, while Equatorial Guinea allegedly fielded the same ineligible player twice against Cape Verde, FIFA said on Tuesday.
Celebrations put on hold
Ethiopia beat South Africa 2-1 on Sunday at a packed National Stadium in Addis Ababa and wildly celebrated what it thought was its progression to the playoffs, only for FIFA to open investigations into Ethiopia and Togo the same day.Ethiopia’s federation and its coach, Sewnet Bishaw, apologized and said they knew about the investigation shortly before the emotional win over South Africa but chose not to make it public so as not to distract the team.
Despite receiving prior warning from FIFA that Minyahile was not eligible for the Botswana game, officials “forgot” that and played him, the federation said. Those officials, which included the federation vice-president and Sewnet, would be punished, it said.
Equatorial Guinea was already sanctioned for fielding an ineligible player against Cape Verde in March. It has appealed that finding, although it is now under investigation for again fielding the same player in another game this month.
“[Equatorial Guinea] has been invited to provide its position to FIFA, together with any documentary evidence it might deem appropriate,” FIFA said.
Although the world body hasn’t named any of the players or said why they were ineligible, the Ethiopian federation held an emergency meeting Monday and admitted Tuesday that Minyahile shouldn’t have played against Botswana.
Cases have precedents
FIFA hasn’t yet ruled in any of the cases, but said the disciplinary proceedings against the three countries relate to article 55 of its disciplinary code, which says countries which field ineligible players in competitive games should forfeit the match and pay a minimum fine of 6,000 Swiss francs ($6,522 US).If Ethiopia loses the Botswana game, South Africa can still overtake it and progress to the playoffs from Group A. Cameroon would go above Libya in Group I if it is awarded a win in the Togo game, where Togo’s Marseille midfielder Alexis Romao was ineligible after also receiving two yellow cards in prior games, the Togo Football Federation admitted on Tuesday.
“It was very unfortunate and we have ourselves to blame,” federation spokesman Amavi Patatou said, adding Togo expected to forfeit its victory over Cameroon.
Cape Verde could delay Tunisia’s qualification for the playoffs if it is awarded three points for its March 24 meeting with Equatorial Guinea. Cape Verde already won their June 8 game, while Tunisia thought it had already qualified on Sunday.
Source: CBC News
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