Cairo, the capital of Egypt, has reopened talks over the contentious megadam that Ethiopia is constructing on the Blue Nile river.

The resumption of negotiations was confirmed by a statement from Ethiopia's communications office.

For more than ten years, Ethiopia and the two nations that it shares a border with, Egypt and Sudan, have been embroiled in a diplomatic dispute over the $5 billion (£3.9 billion) hydropower dam.

The crucial water resources of Egypt and Sudan are feared to be in danger due to the dam.

There have been several rounds of negotiations, but efforts to sign a legally binding agreement have failed.

The leaders of Egypt and Ethiopia met in July and decided to resume their negotiations.

According to Ethiopia, the dam is a component of its plans to electrify millions of homes, primarily in rural areas.