The dispute has lasted for years, but with the livelihoods of millions depending on the project and on the smooth flow of the water, it is crucial that the African Union (AU) helps to resolve the deadlock imminently.

Israel’s Yuval Steinitz was one of seven energy ministers to launch Sept. 22 the Eastern Mediterranean Gas Forum via videoconference at an event organized by Cairo, the forum’s headquarters. The ministers also included Steinitz’s Greek, Cypriot, Jordanian, Palestinian and Italian counterparts. The ambassadors of three other countries interested in joining the forum …

Egypt last week called for a unified and firm Arab policy against Turkey through closer cooperation among Arab states.

Egyptian President Abdel Fattah Al-Sisi yesterday ratified a decree under which Cairo would join an African Union (AU) agreement to combat corruption.

Talks resumed Sunday over Ethiopia’s controversial mega-dam that has long stoked tensions in the Nile River basin, one day after Egypt and Sudan said they were optimistic a deal could be reached.

South Africa, the current mediator in a long-running feud over Ethiopia’s dam on the Blue Nile, on Thursday urged that talks should continue despite threats of suspension and walkout.

The latest talks involving Ethiopia, Egypt and Sudan on Ethiopia’s Nile River dam have broken down just days after they began. The development puts the future of negotiations on the controversial mega dam in jeopardy.

Egypt and Sudan on Tuesday demanded that meetings of the second round of negotiations over the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam (GERD) be suspended due to Ethiopia’s unwillingness to discuss operating rules and a legal mechanism for resolving dam-related disputes.

The African Union mediated a round of talks Monday between ministers from Egypt, Ethiopia and Sudan on Addis Ababa’s controversial Nile dam project, an Egyptian ministry said.

Egypt has ‘sincere desire’ to make progress regarding the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam negotiations and its ‘points of contention’, President Abdel Fatah al Sisi said following participating in a mini-summit held via video conference Tuesday as part of the African Union-sponsored negotiations.