The latest round of negotiations concerning the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam (GERD) continues with a renewed commitment from the involved riparian nations to seek a negotiated solution through trilateral talks.
This round of discussions builds on the recent negotiations held in both Cairo and Addis Ababa over the past two months, in accordance with the agreement reached between Egypt, Ethiopia, and Sudan.
The primary objective of these negotiations is to expedite the process of establishing a comprehensive agreement governing the filling and operation of the GERD.
The current negotiations follow the historic meeting between the leaders of Egypt and Ethiopia on July 13.
Ethiopia approaches these talks with optimism, citing the foundational Agreement on the Declaration of Principles (DoP).
The Ethiopian Ministry of Foreign Affairs has expressed its belief that this platform allows the three parties to comprehend and address the interests and concerns of all riparian states, with an emphasis on the principles of equitable and reasonable utilization, ultimately aiming for a mutually acceptable resolution.
However, the Egyptian Ministry of Water Resources and Irrigation has reported that the tripartite ministerial meeting held in Addis Ababa on September 23-24 did not yield significant progress.
Egypt voiced concerns about Ethiopia’s backtracking on various agreements previously reached between the three countries during the final round of negotiations.
This latest round of negotiations serves as a continuation of discussions that began in Cairo on August 27 and 28, with the overarching goal of reaching a comprehensive agreement within four months regarding the rules governing the filling and operation of the Renaissance Dam.
These negotiations are integral to the pursuit of regional cooperation and a fair distribution of the Nile’s waters, following the July 13 summit between the leaders of Egypt, Ethiopia, and Sudan.
By xamse
October 24, 2023
