Egypt, Sudan to hold ‘Guardians of the Nile’ joint military drill May 26-31

Egypt and Sudan will hold a joint military drill dubbed Guardians of the Nile amid crisis over Renaissance Dam project by Ethiopia.

Land, air and sea forces of both countries will take part in the drill scheduled May 26-31, Middle East Monitor (MEMO) reported citing the Sudanese army.

The joint drill aims to exchange military expertise, strengthen unilateral cooperation and unify working methods to address the anticipated threats preying on the two countries, the Sudanese army indicated, according to MEMO.

The exercise is the third by the two countries and the name expresses both countries’ determination to protect their water share from the Nile River.

Egypt and Sudan are opposed to Ethiopia’s Renaissance Dam project located near the Sudanese border.

Cairo fears the $5-billion project will restrict its access to Nile waters. Egypt receives around 55.5 million cubic meters a year from the river, important chock of water supply. It also believes that the dam will affect the water it needs for drinking, agriculture and electricity.

Cairo wants Ethiopia to guarantee Egypt will receive 40 billion cubic meters or more of water from the Nile. Sudan has warned Ethiopia to launch legal action if it goes ahead and fill the dam.

If Ethiopia goes ahead with the filling, Sudan “would file lawsuits against the Italian company constructing the dam and the Ethiopian government,” Sudan’s Water Minister Yasser Abbas said in his Twitter account.

Several rounds of talks to settle the crisis have failed.