By TESFA-ALEM TEKLE More by this AuthorAuthorities in Addis Ababa on Monday banned flights in Benishangul-Gumuz region, where the massive Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam (GERD) is being built. Officials cited security reasons behind the closure of that region's airspace amid unresolved agreement between Ethiopia, Sudan, and Egypt on the use of the waters of the Nile and the dam itself. In an interview with the state-run Ethiopian News Agency, Ethiopian Air Force Commander Brigadier General Yilma Merdasa said that the army is fully prepared to prevent any enemy attack targeting the Nile dam. "The Ethiopian Air Force is providing 24-hour air surveillance to the country's airspace and particularly for the Renaissance Dam." The Africa Union (AU) brokered round of talks among Ethiopia, Sudan and Egypt ended in August without any major breakthrough.

Source: Ethiopian News October 06, 2020 10:41 UTC