Egypt expresses interest to resume negotiations on GERD

Addis Ababa, May 22, 2020 (FBC) -Egypt has expressed its interest to resume negotiations with Ethiopia and Sudan over the filling of the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam (GERD).

Egypt’s shift in stance came following a virtual talks held on Thursday between Ethiopian Prime Minister Dr Abiy Ahmed and Sudanese Prime Minister Abdala Hamdok.

The National news service quoted Egyptian Foreign Ministry as saying yesterday that “Egypt is always ready to enter into negotiations and participate in upcoming meetings to reach a fair, balanced and comprehensive agreement.”

Yesterday’s discussion between the Ethiopian and Sudanese prime ministers focused on exploring amicable solutions related to GERD to resolve outstanding and misunderstood issues between the two parties.

Egypt recently submitted a letter to the United Nations Security Council in protest to Ethiopia’s plan to start filling the dam.

In a response to the letter, Ethiopia said “it does not have a legal obligation to seek the approval of Egypt to fill the dam.”

The overall progress of GERD project has now reached 73% and the country plans to begin filling the dam from July.

GERD is under construction in the Benishangul-Gumuz regional state. It is expected to be completed in 2023.

The people and government of Ethiopia are funding the project, which will not only serve Ethiopia, but also Sudan and Egypt as well.

The European Union (EU) said it fully recognizes the strategic importance of the Nile waters and the GERD for Ethiopia.