EGYPTIAN AND ETHIOPIAN CHURCHES DISCUSS NILE WATER CRISIS

4/4/2011

Sources from the Egyptian Coptic Church said its leader, Pope Shenouda III, is communicating with the Ethiopian church in an effort to help resolve the water crisis, which erupted after Ethiopia began constructing a Millennium Dam on the Nile.

Sources said that a trip by the Pope to Ethiopia has been suggested.

Bishop Morcos, head of the information committee at the Holy Synod, said the strong ties between the two countries’ churches may help resolve the crisis, and said, “We won’t hold back in performing our roles if political leadership asks for that.”

Ethiopian Bishop Boules visited Egypt at the end of 2010 and prayed with Pope Shenouda, added the sources. They said Shenouda is willing to travel to Ethiopia — although he arrived from a treatment trip in the US weeks ago — for the sake of Egypt’s security.

Shenouda wants the Ethiopian church to convince the government there not to escalate the water problem with Egypt and Sudan. Shenouda had declared earlier that there have been communications with the Ethiopian church in this regard.

However, the Ethiopian church said the situation was difficult in light of the secular nature of the Ethiopian government.

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