Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam has been a source of a political tension with Egypt since 2014 (Photo:Reuters)
Ethiopian foreign minister Workenh Gebeyehu said in an interview published on Monday on the Saudi Arabian Middle East news website that his government is positively cooperating with Egyptian counterparts to maintain friendly relations, though it awaits an official response from Egypt to a request by Ethiopia that Cairo stop the activity of Ethiopian opposition groups within Egypt.
"We informed our Egyptian friends about the activities of some hostile groups that are working against the Ethiopian government in Cairo, and we requested that Egypt stop the activities of these hostile groups", Gebeyehu stated.
Ethiopian PM Hailemariam Desalegn said on Thursday in an interview with the Qatari Al-Jazeera news channel that his country demanded that the Egyptian government take clear action against "terrorist organisations" that are receiving support from "some Egyptian bodies" in Cairo.
In October, Ethiopia's communication minister Getachew Reda accused Egypt of financing and training "armed groups" operating in Ethiopia.
Reda's claims came amid demonstrations against an Ethiopian government plan to expand the boundaries of the capital Addis Ababa into the territory of the Oromo ethnic group.
Egypt's foreign ministry said at the time that Cairo completely respects Ethiopian sovereignty and non-interference in the country's internal affairs.
Ethiopian Right groups say that 500 civilians were killed during the demonstrations, with the Ethiopian government declaring a six-month state of emergency.
In 2015, Egypt dismissed Ethiopian President Mulatu Teshome's accusations that Egyptian “elements” are supporting armed opposition groups in his country with the aim of preventing Ethiopia from building the Ethiopian Grand Renaissance Dam, which Cairo fears could reduce its share of Nile water.
In March 2015, Egypt, Ethiopia and Sudan signed a trilateral declaration of principles that guarantees that all parties will take steps to ensure the dam will not harm the interests of all parties concerned.
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