Egyptian FM stresses Nile Basin cooperation, integration

CAIRO, Dec 19 (KUNA) -- Egyptian Foreign Minister Dr. Badr Abdelatty on Friday stressed the importance of cooperation and integration among Nile Basin countries to achieve mutual benefits and shared interests for all parties involved.
A press release by the Egyptian Foreign Ministry said this came during a meeting between Abdelatty and Tanzanian Minister of Foreign Affairs and Cooperation Mahmoud Kombo.
Abdelatty stressed the need to uphold the spirit of consensus and fraternity in the southern Nile Basin to restore inclusivity to the Nile Basin Initiative.
He welcomed the steps taken under the Initiative's consultative process to strengthen consensus and implement development projects that serve common interests.
On biliteral relations with Tanzania, Abdelatty pointed to the Julius Nyerere Dam in Tanzania, built by Egyptian companies to help meet the country's electricity needs under presidential directives.
The Egyptian Foreign Minister reaffirmed Cairo's readiness to offer further technical support and capacity building to Tanzania through training programs in priority sectors.
Both sides stressed the need for continued coordination on African issues, especially African Union institutional reform, underscoring that the process should be systematic, gradual, inclusive, and involve all member states.
Tanzanian Foreign Minister Mahmoud Kombo praised Egypt's efforts in implementing the Julius Nyerere Dam project, highlighting it as a milestone in Tanzania's development and a testament to the strong partnership between the two countries.
Kombo also expressed hope that the Egyptian president would visit Tanzania for the dam's inauguration. (end) aff.ao