Free Republic

CAIRO — A battle over water has turned into a war of colorful rhetoric between Ethiopia and Egypt over the flow of the Nile, which begins in the African highlands but keeps Egypt from being swallowed entirely by desert. An ambitious Ethiopian dam project is diverting Nile waters that Cairo says will reduce the river's northward flow. The Egyptians have stumbled into crisis mode: At a meeting hosted by President Mohamed Morsi this week, several politicians, unaware TV cameras were rolling, suggested sabotaging or threatening to bomb the dam. Egypt can coordinate with Ethiopian rebels and "use them as a...

Ethiopia’s ruling party on Saturday named as its leader acting Prime Minister Hailemariam Desalegn, who took over after the death last month of longtime leader Meles Zenawi, an official said at the end of a congress of party bosses. As chairman of the Ethiopian Peoples’ Revolutionary Democratic Front, or EPRDF, Hailemariam, 47, will almost certainly be confirmed as the country’s prime minister in an upcoming official ceremony. Bereket Simon, Ethiopia’s communications minister, said Hailemariam would be sworn in soon. It remains unclear exactly when, but Bereket said this might happen early next month. “Since the party holds an overwhelming majority...

Ethiopia's new leader Hailemariam Desalegn, expected to assume power following the death of the longtime prime minister, readied for the post on Friday after holding talks with US President Barack Obama. But Hailemariam, 47, a relatively little-known politician overshadowed by his mentor Meles Zenawi, who died on Monday, faces tough challenges both internally and across the volatile Horn of Africa region. Obama, who telephoned Hailemariam late Thursday, urged him to "use his leadership to enhance the Ethiopian government's support for development, democracy, human rights and regional security," the White House said. Hailemariam has also met with South Sudan's foreign minister...