A meeting of the foreign and irrigation ministers of Egypt, Sudan and Ethiopia on the Ethiopian dam file will start here on Friday.

The meeting will take up all scenarios and alternatives to contentious points and carry out the declaration signed by the three countries' leaders in March.

The dam has been a bone of contention between Egypt and Ethiopia, as Egypt fears the dam will have damaging effects on its share of the Nile water.

Ethiopian officials insist the dam will not affect Egypt's water share and have instead pointed to gains in electricity production offered by the project.

In March 2015, Egypt, Sudan, and Ethiopia signed a declaration of principles on the dam, agreeing to safeguard the interests of all three countries. Two foreign consultancy firms, one Dutch and one French, have been chosen to carry out reports assessing the dam's negative effects on Egypt and Sudan, if any.

Sources: MENA