What is the fundamental motivation and driver of Ethio-Egyptian conflict?
A lot short sighted people simply believe the Nile to be the source of the age old Egyptian hostility toward Ethiopia.
The problem with such belief is that even when the water issue is taken off as a factor, Egypt continues to fear Ethiopia1
Why?
The truly underlying motive is that Egypt considers itself to a regional power and leader of the Arab world and wants have same level of gravitas the Horn of Africa and sub-Saharan Africa.
The Nile water, the dam and all the associated developments and resources only one aspect of this national ambition of power.
So, more or less, the entire Egyptian hidden agenda has to do with the Ethiopian potential of being that regional power as Ethiopia is the second largest nation, the water capital of the region and endowed with other major resources including agriculture.
This is why Ethiopia needs a true strategy. The Abay Beles national project is only the means to an end! Why do we want to complete the Abay Beles development? Because it is our path to the Ethiopian national agenda of growing a powerful Ethiopia, a leader of the African continent.
It is this Ethiopian vision both America and Egypt are unwilling to share with us Ethiopians. But, Ethiopians now know that that is our national purpose and our destiny!
Read this ...
https://link.springer.com/chapter/10.10 ... -45226-9_6