Tanzania says GERD would benefit all riparian countries of Nile Basin

Addis Ababa, June 8, 2022 (FBC) – Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of Ethiopia in Tanzania, Shibru Mamo, has presented his letter of credentials to the President of Tanzania, Samia Suluhu Hassan.

During their discussion, the two sides noted the need to tighten the longstanding relationship between Ethiopia and Tanzania with multiple and diversified engagements.

The Ambassador briefed the President about the peace, trust, and confidence-building measures that the Ethiopian government has undertaken to realize durable peace in the country.

In their discussion of the GERD, Ambassador Shibru reiterated Ethiopia’s commitment to fairly and equitably utilize the Nile waters without causing significant harm to downstream countries and resume the trilateral negotiations over the dam.

Ambassador Shibru also raised the issue of Ethiopian migrants detained in Tanzanian prisons and urged the President to grant them amnesty for their eventual repatriation to Ethiopia.

President Samia Suluhu Hassan, on her part, commended the Ethiopian government’s decision to solve the conflict in the northern part of the country peacefully and highlighted that the GERD is a development project that would benefit all riparian countries of the Nile Basin.

She also appreciated the Ethiopian government for positively responding to Tanzania’s request for a plot of land to build its Embassy in Addis Ababa and the famous Ethiopian Airlines for enrolling Tanzanian students in its Aviation Academy.

The President affirmed that her government would positively respond to the Ambassador’s request to set prisoners free from detention and allow their repatriation to Ethiopia.