No breakthrough yet on Nile dam talks: Ethiopia

Ethiopian officials yesterday said that negotiations this week in Washington failed to resolve a long-running dispute with Egypt over a massive dam on the Nile.

The two-day meeting was the latest round of talks facilitated by the US Treasury Department, which stepped in after Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi reached out to US President Donald Trump, a close ally.

Ethiopia says the dam -- which will be the largest hydropower plant in Africa -- is crucial for its growing economy. But Egypt fears the project will disrupt the river that provides 90 percent of its drinking water.

US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo visits Ethiopia next week, and a senior US official said Monday that Washington hoped the talks were "close to resolution."

Fitsum Arega, Ethiopia's ambassador to the US, said on Twitter Friday that this week's talks "ended without a final agreement".