Egypt and Uganda sign mega dam agreement

Uganda and Egypt have signed an agreement to share intelligence amid escalating tensions in the region over the building of a mega dam by Ethiopia on a tributary of the River Nile. BBC News reports that Egyptian military officer Sameh Saber El-Degwi said ‘the fact that Uganda and Egypt share the Nile, co-operation between the two countries is inevitable because what affects Ugandans will in one way or another affect Egypt'. The dam has long been a source of tension between Egypt and Ethiopia. Ethiopia sees the hydroelectric project as crucial for its economic growth and a vital source of energy. But Egypt and Sudan, which are downstream, fear the $4bn dam will greatly reduce their access to water.