NAIROBI (Somaliguardian) – Russia said on Saturday that a military cooperation agreement with Ethiopia is not linked to the Renaissance Dam, which is the source of more than a decade-long dispute between Addis Ababa and downstream countries of Egypt and Sudan.
It came after Russia and Ethiopia signed a military cooperation agreement earlier this month, which is designed to focus on “transforming capacity of the [Ethiopian] national defense force in knowledge, skill and technology spheres”.
In a statement, Russia’s foreign ministry denied reports linking the military cooperation with the Renaissance Dam. The agreement has come as Ethiopia’s army and allied paramilitary forces battle Tigrayan forces in the north.
It added that the possibility of solving the Nile dam’s crisis through African Union-sponsored talks has not yet been exhausted, months after negotiations over the controversial water reservoir stalled.
Contact us: info@somaliguardian.com
