Al-Nahda Dam and Russia’s efforts to strengthen its international role.
By entering the matter of the Al-Nahda Dam in Ethiopia, Russia seeks to strengthen and restore its regional and international role, a role that was lost with the collapse of the former Soviet Union in 1991.
With the defeat of Nazi Germany and Japan in 1945 and the rise of the West and East, led by the United States and the (former) Soviet Union, and then the Cold War, the world was practically divided into two blocs, but with the collapse of the Soviet Union in 1991 and secession. Fifteen of its countries and the revival of Russia, the world practically faced a bloc.
Many European and Latin American countries, which at the time were Soviet-affiliated and were known as the “Eastern Bloc,” also shunned the idea of socialism led by the former Soviet Union and practically came under American domination.
Since 1991, Russia’s international power and role have diminished, and it has been unable to regain power in the former Soviet Union until the Syrian crisis began in March 2010, with Moscow initially in the port of Tartus (west). Syria) had a naval base and a defense contract with the government of Damascus, did not intervene in the Syrian crisis until in September 2015, Russian President Vladimir Putin decided to help the government and people of Syria to fight the Takfiri terrorists supported The Western-Arab-Zionist front and Turkey took over, and with the deployment of dozens of fighter-bombers and thousands of troops, it sided with the Syrian army and the Islamic Resistance Front.
The presence of Russian bombers was a good help to the Syrian army and the Islamic Resistance Front against Takfiri terrorists, so much so that the precious martyr of General Qassem Soleimani, former commander of the Quds Force, defeated the American-Zionist terrorist group ISIS in December. Announced the year 2017.
In other words, the presence of the Russians in Syria, in addition to being beneficial to the people, the government and the Syrian army and the Islamic Resistance Front, was also fruitful for the Russians, because from that date on, Moscow’s regional and international power was strengthened.
The Syrian crisis, which later turned into an international war, practically turned into a confrontation between the Islamic Resistance and the Russian army with the Western-Arab-Zionist and Turkish fronts. And the Russian International entered a new arena.
After this period, one of the areas that the Russians have entered into these days is the issue of the “Al-Nahda Dam” in Ethiopia, which is strongly disputed by the countries of Ethiopia, Sudan and Egypt, an issue in which Turkey has also entered and the possibility of coercion. Ankara – Moscow is there.
Egypt and Sudan are currently at loggerheads with the government of Addis Ababa over Ethiopia’s exploitation of the Renaissance Dam on the Nile.
Egypt, along with Sudan, both downstream of the Nile, are serious opponents of the flooding of the Al- Dam, and have warned Ethiopia several times about the consequences of the dam’s complete flooding 10 years ago.
The Al-Nahda Dam, built 15 km from the Ethiopian-Sudanese border on the Nile River, will be the largest hydroelectric power plant in Africa and the seventh largest in the world if fully commissioned, and is said to be a serious threat to Egyptian life. .
Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi has previously said that the unilateral flooding of the Al-Nahda Dam threatens the water supply of 100 million Egyptians.
Al-Sisi had stated on July 15th that any reduction in Egypt’s water resources was a red line for that country that could not be crossed. He also stressed that if Ethiopia crosses this red line, it will be forced to use the army to oppose the Ethiopian decision.
The Egyptian Foreign Minister recently stressed on the crisis of the Dam that his country will use all means and facilities to protect its national security.
“Sameh al-Shukri” warned that all options are on the table and that his country will spare no effort to protect its national security, and that all means are available to Egypt, and that Cairo has the determination and ability to defend its water interests. .
The Egyptian Foreign Minister stated that Ethiopia did not build the Dam as planned, and Cairo believes that Addis Ababa will not be able to complete the second phase of the dam.
He had previously said in a televised interview that 10 years of negotiations with Addis Ababa had failed and that the Ethiopian side was still “stubborn”.
Egypt’s emphasis on its position, on the one hand, and the Ethiopian government’s failure to fully seize the Al-Nahda Dam, have brought the current crisis in Northeast Africa to a new level.
As Cairo insists on using all options against Ethiopia, some analysts warn that the crisis could escalate into a military confrontation if no solution is found; This is something that the President of Egypt has also implicitly mentioned, and in his speech focusing on the crisis of the Dam, he has shown the military power of Cairo to Addis Ababa.
Ethiopia announced on July 19 (July 28) that it intends to complete the filling of the Great (Renaissance) Dam by the end of this year; The dam that is being built on the Nile River, which supplies more than 90% of Egypt’s water needs.
The issue of Egypt-Sudan dispute with Ethiopia over the Al-Nahda Dam recently reached the Security Council with a complaint from Cairo, but Addis Ababa stated that it was not trading in its national interests at all.
While Turkey has expressed its full support for Ethiopia over the Dam, the Russian ambassador in Cairo has also taken a position on the Ennahda Dam, and Moscow is ready to mediate between Egypt, Sudan and Ethiopia to resolve the dispute over the dam, albeit with Cashni has announced his support for Cairo.
Russia’s ambassador to Cairo, Georgy Borisinko, has issued an official statement stressing that water security is a serious challenge and a vital issue for Egypt, and that the Nile River has been the only source of fresh water for more than 100 million people for thousands of years. It is the bank of this river.
Russia’s ambassador to Egypt has also stated that Moscow understands the deep concern of its Egyptian friends over the construction of the Al-Nahda Dam, and that Moscow has always insisted on a just solution.
The Russian ambassador in Cairo stressed that Moscow strongly believes that the three neighboring countries should work to reach an agreement that provides opportunities for the implementation of the National Development Plan in a peaceful atmosphere.
Borisenko added that he was also in talks with Addis Ababa officials.
Egypt and Sudan are now seeking an agreement on how to build and operate the Al-Nahda Dam; An agreement that includes a legal and binding mechanism that can be used in the event of a dispute or problem, but Ethiopia opposes the idea of a binding agreement and insists on “non-binding and guiding principles”, which is strongly opposed by Egypt and Sudan. Encountered.
Egypt depends on the Nile for 90 percent of its drinking water, and Cairo believes that any reduction in its share of the Nile will have devastating social and economic effects on Egypt, while Addis Ababa believes that Al-Nahda Dam, with an investment of $ 4.6 billion, is effective in turning this country into the energy hub of the region and can, in addition to generating revenue, lead to poverty alleviation in this country.
Moscow and Ankara, while having relatively good diplomatic relations, disagree on issues such as the Syrian crisis, the Libyan war, and now on the Al-Nahda Dam, while Moscow seeks to play an international role by activating the Al-Nahda Dam case. Increase itself in the region and bring itself closer to the era of former Soviet power, something that experts on regional issues believe will not happen any time soon.
