Junior diplomats wrap up their African tour in Nile Basin countries

A delegation of junior diplomats from the Diplomatic Studies Institute wrapped up on Monday a tour of the Nile Basin countries that took them to Ethiopia, Kenya and Uganda.

The tour's program included meetings with the officials in the ministries of foreign affairs, water and environment as well as regional and international organizations operating in the three countries along with visits to a number of cultural and archaeological sites at the Nile Basin countries.

In Addis Ababa, the delegation held a number of meetings with officials at the African Union, the African Peace and Security Commission, the Political Affairs Commission, the energy, infrastructure, trade and industry commissions.

The Egyptian and Ethiopian sides agreed on holding an open dialogue at the Ethiopian Foreign Ministry premises between the Egyptian and Ethiopian diplomats.

They agreed on the importance of the Declaration of Principles on Ethiopian Renaissance Dam that was recently signed by Egypt, Sudan and Ethiopia. They viewed it as a main step towards reaching a comprehensive settlement to the Nile basin issue.

The delegation also visited the Orthodox Church in Ethiopia, Ethiopia Heritage Museum and the premises of Addis Ababa University.