Ethiopian PM to visit Egypt this week to discuss bilateral issues

ADDIS ABABA, Jan. 15 (Xinhua) -- Ethiopian Prime Minister Hailemariam Desalegn will visit Egypt this week to discuss bilateral issues, an Ethiopian official said on Monday.

Speaking to Xinhua, Meles Alem, Spokesperson of Ethiopia Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MoFA), said the PM is expected to attend the sixth Ethio-Egyptian Joint Commission which will start on Thursday.

Desalegn is expected to discuss political, economic and diplomatic ties between Egypt and Ethiopia as well as a host of regional and international issues.

"The upcoming joint commission will discuss cooperation in the fields of education, health, agriculture and fisheries," he said.

"A ministerial level meeting of the two countries will be held which will see agreements signed on mining and industrial sectors development," Alem added.

He also said discussions on a contentious 6,450 Mega Watts (MW) hydro dam Ethiopia is building on Blue Nile river could also be discussed on the sidelines of the sixth joint commission.

Ethiopia insists the mega hydro dam is part of its desire to equitably use Nile water to help power its economic growth.

Egypt, a largely desert nation of around 95 million people, is highly dependent on the Nile's water for its economy.

Egypt fears that the hydroelectric dam will cut into its water supply, potentially crippling its agricultural sector which is already facing strains from water shortages. Enditem