ADDIS ABABA, May 2 (Xinhua) -- Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed arrived in the Sudanese capital Khartoum on Wednesday with his agenda expected to focus on a mega hydro dam Ethiopia is building near Sudanese border and other economic issues.
In a press statement, the Office of Spokesperson, Ethiopia Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MoFA), said Ahmed is expected to hold talks with Sudanese President Omar Hassan Al-Bashir on enhancing bilateral ties between the two nations.
Ahmed is also expected to address the Ethio-Sudan Business forum and hold talks with representatives of the hundreds of thousands of Ethiopians who live in Sudan.
The Ethiopian PM is also expected to discuss with Sudanese officials issues relating to Ethiopia's construction of a 6,450 MW hydro dam on Blue Nile river, 40 km from Sudanese border.
Named Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam (GERD), the hydro dam whose construction is currently 66 percent complete is Africa's largest hydro dam project, with Ethiopia saying the dam will reignite an economic renaissance in the region once it is commissioned.
Currently Ethiopia is holding tripartite talks with Sudan and Egypt whose economies depend in large part from Nile waters originating in Ethiopia.
Ethiopia and Sudan eye massive benefits from the GERD construction, while Egypt is concerned it might affect its 55.5-billion-cubic-meter annual share of the Nile River water.