Ethiopia demands Egypt to stick to GERD talks for mutual benefit: FM Gedu

Addis Ababa, June 17, 2020 (FBC) – Ethiopia has still a conviction that issues regarding GERD could be resolved through dialogue calling the Egyptian side to stick to the negotiations underway.

The current negation came in to existence after the Sudanese Prime Minister Abdalla Hamdok held discussions with his Ethiopian and Egyptian counterparts exclusively on the issue. The negotiation is underway in the presence of observers, he added.

The continuation of the negotiations indicates how Ethiopia relies on significance of dialogue and principles of mutual benefits regarding GERD issues.

The Minister further said, although Egypt contributes nothing for the water share of the Nile River, it still clings to the colonial-day water treaties that do not give recognition either to Ethiopia’s or the other riparian countries’ natural right to utilize the water resource.

Ethiopia, a source of 86 percent of Nile waters, is exerting efforts to reach an agreement with Egypt which contributes nothing to the waters, not a generator of the river.

He said Ethiopia is participating in the tripartite talks taking the accepted principles of ‘cooperation’ and ‘causing no significant harm’ as guideposts in addition to recognizing its rights to equitably and reasonably utilize its water resources.

Although the current tripartite talk is in its 5th –day session, the age-old stance of Egypt acting as if it is the sole owner of the Nile waters coupled with its uncompromising attitude to the realities of the day is stalling the talks, he said.

Gedu said Egypt is foot lagging in the tripartite talks while attempting to take the GERD case to the United Nations Security Council, which doesn’t go in line with the spirits of the DoP.

Appreciating the financial and emotional support Ethiopians have been giving to the construction of the dam, the Minister called on all Ethiopians to stand together in asserting their right to utilize their own natural resource.

During a question and answer session, Mr. Gedu told journalists that the Republic of Sudan has to be hugely appreciated for its positive and encouraging role in helping the talks run in a matured and cooperative manner.

GERD is the source of energy and a source of inspiration that bring Ethiopians together, Gedu underlines.

The absolute need for development and the legitimate right of Ethiopia to provide electricity to almost 65% of its population have been driving Ethiopia in building the dam, Gedu added.

GERD is built at an Ethiopian River Abay funded by Ethiopians so that its construction doesn’t need permission from outside parties, he noted.

He stressed that Egyptians should not consider Ethiopia’s stand on amicable utilization of the waters as a weakness.

“Egypt has left no stone unturned to impair Ethiopia’s capability to dam its river, and tried to impede the construction of the GERD since its commencement. But we endure all these pressures and continued the talks.” Gedu paraphrased.

He said Ethiopia has managed to build the dam despite immeasurable challenges posed by the Egyptian side who had been trying to put Ethiopia’s financial options into a straight jacket.

Egypt’s claims over shortage of water are groundless because the power production over the dam is inextricably linked with water flow in to turbines towards downstream countries, Gedu underlined.

Successive Egyptian leaders could not consider the fact that Ethiopia’s poverty and lack of peace can do nothing them, according to Gedu.

Ethiopia will have nothing left with Egypt unless the Declaration of Principles respected, and no reason will be left in the ground if its negotiators boycott the talks underway, Gedu said.

Egypt hasn’t yet signed the Cooperative Frame Work agreement and trying to force other countries not to sign the document.

Gedu further pleaded the international community to play its share in enforcing the government to respect principles of equitable use of the Nile Waters regarding the construction of GERD.

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