Ethiopia and the international community took the social media to denounce Donald Trump’s ill-advised remark saying Egypt could ‘blow up’ the GERD project
ADDIS ABABA (Semonegna) – Gedu Andargachew, the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Ethiopia summoned, on 24th October 2020, the United States Ambassador Michael Raynor to seek clarifications on the remarks President Donald Trump of the United States made regarding the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam (GERD) during his telephone conversation with the Prime Ministers of the Republic of the Sudan and the State of Israel.
Minister Gedu underscored the statement on the GERD and the negotiation process as misleading and wrong as the GERD doesn’t stop the flow of the Nile waters.
He said the incitement of war between Ethiopia and Egypt from a sitting U.S. president neither reflects the longstanding partnership and strategic alliance between Ethiopia and the United States nor is acceptable in International Law governing interstate relations.
The Minister further informed the Ambassador that Ethiopia has never and will not in the future succumb to threats to its sovereignty and will be committed to continue the trilateral negotiations under the framework of the African Union.
Ethiopians all over the world and the international community reacted quick in denouncing and criticizing President Trump for his comment saying Egypt could “blow up” the GERD project.
President Trump made the comment while announcing that Sudan, a Nile downstream country, start to normalize ties with Israel on Friday.
“They will end up blowing up the dam,” Trump said, referring to Egypt. “And I said it and I say it loud and clear, they’ll blow up that dam. And they have to do something.”
High Representative of the European Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy/Vice-President of the Commission, Josep Borrell issued a statement on GERD following Trump’s loudmouthed comment, mentioning that now is the time for action (to reach an agreement on the filling of the GERD) and not for increasing tensions. The statement reads as follows:
Over 250 million citizens of the Blue Nile Basin stand to benefit from a predictable agreement based on a negotiated arrangement for the filling of GERD and are expecting investments in water security, irrigation, agricultural production and electricity generation. An agreement on the filling of the GERD is within the reach of Ethiopia, Sudan and Egypt. Now is the time for action and not for increasing tensions. The efforts of South Africa, current Chair of the African Union, to bring the parties to a negotiated solution have the full support of the European Union which looks forward to the imminent resumption and successful conclusion of the talks.
Jason Crow, a member (Democratic Party) of the U.S. House of Representatives for Colorado’s 6th congressional district, tweeted criticizing Trump’s comment about GERD by saying “reckless and uninformed” and said the United States must play a fair game in dealing with the diplomatic relations with Ethiopia.
Former Ethiopian Prime Minister Hailemariam Dessalegn tweeted on Saturday: “The man doesn’t have a clue on what he is talking about,” calling Trump’s remarks “reckless” and “irresponsible.”
Tony Blinken, former Deputy Secretary of State and former Deputy National Security Advisor under President Barack Obama, said on Twitter that Trump’s remarks are “reckless and undermine the U.S. role as an observer in the GERD negotiations.”
Congressman Ed Perlmutter, U.S. House of Representatives from Colorado’s 7th district, said “Once again, the President shows a reckless disregard for international affairs” on his official Twitter page, sharing a Washington Post article which states Ethiopia’s accusation of Trump for his ‘war inciting’ remarks.
Sharing the same Washington Post’s article, the Congressional Black Caucus (CBC), a caucus made up of most African American members of the United States Congress, said on its social media that President Trump’s comment is reckless and dangerous. Further, the CBC has urged the US to remain impartial in the negotiations between Egypt, Ethiopia, and Sudan.
Adanech Abiebie, Deputy Mayor of Addis Ababa City, said on her Twitter page, “There is no force on earth that can stop us from realizing the successful completion of GERD! We must stand united as Ethiopians and challenge any unreasonable pressure. If we stand united, history testifies that there is no earthly force that can defeat us!”
Ed Markey, U.S. Senator from Massachusetts, said Trump’s comments are not only unacceptable but also indicators of Trump’s lack of the capacity for diplomacy.
Similarly, U.S. Senator from Maryland, Ben Cardin, pressed a statement on President Trump’s unacceptable, irresponsible comments on Egypt and Ethiopia. In the statement, released on his Senate website, says “I am shocked by President Trump’s comments on Friday suggesting that Egypt should bomb Ethiopia in response to negotiations over the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam. It is completely unacceptable for a U.S. president to endorse this sort of belligerent, destabilizing action. The United States must urgently return to a foreign policy centered on peace, diplomacy, and the rule of law before our standing as a global leader is injured beyond salvation.”