AU holds virtual meeting on progress of GERD dispute resolution

Addis Ababa, July 19, 2020 (FBC) – The African Union will be holding a virtual meeting today to deliberate on the progress made in the resolution of a dispute between Egypt and Ethiopia regarding the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam (GERD).

The virtual meeting of the AU Bureau of the Assembly of Heads of State and Government will be chaired by AU Chairperson Cyril Ramaphosa, also serving as the President of South Africa.

“The meeting will take place within the context of the AU’s efforts to strengthen the negotiations and to infuse new momentum towards the resolution of all the outstanding legal and technical matters, including the issue of the future development on the Blue Nile upstream as well as the future dispute resolution mechanism,” the South African presidency said.

Ethiopia has been undertaking the construction the Grand Renaissance Dam in a bid to address the growing power demand and reinforce its fight against poverty.

Reports indicate that 60 pct out of the total population of Ethiopia has not access to electricity and women in rural areas go far to collect firewood as part of survival. Ethiopia hopes its hydroelectric dam will enable it alleviate complicated socio economic issues.

Ethiopia, Sudan and Egypt have been bound and determined to months of negotiations on GERD with little success.