Nairobi — Optimism is growing that the tension between Egypt, Sudan and upstream countries over the construction of the Ethiopia’s Grand Renaissance Dam on the Blue Nile could ease after Egypt said last week it was ready for talks.Egypt’s ambassador to Ethiopia, Tarek Ghoneim, said renegotiating the allocation of Nile waters and raising transparency in the matter would be very healthy and good for Egypt and the regionThe region has seen months of heated public debate around the renegotiation of Nile water sharing sanctioned by colonial agreements.East African Community states have expressed their intention to restart stalled negotiations with Egypt on the use of the Nile waters.A communiqué released after a meeting by EAC presidents in Dar es Salaam, last week said that “The Summit reiterated its readiness to host a special summit to advance negotiations on the Nile water question with a view to realising a mutually acceptable solution among all riparian states.”The wave of democratic change sweeping North Africa in the past few months has presented an opportunity for upstream countries to overhaul the colonial-era policies that had given Egypt the lion’s share of the Nile waters and veto power over hydro projects on the riverAnalysts say that Egypt, eager to re-engineer itself and enhance its global clout as a leader of both Arab and African nations, has to change its posture from that of a bully over the Nile waters to a more diplomatic negotiator.Towards this end, a delegation of 40 Egyptian representatives visited Kampala in early April to hold talks with President Yoweri Museveni concerning new plans for the sharing of Nile Basin water.Delegation co-ordinator Mostafa Gendy said that “What the delegation is trying to do is build upon the sympathy that the African people showed towards our revolution and to work towards a new start