Cairo to Host Coming GERD Meeting on December 2, 3

The first round of meetings on the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam GERD, held in the participation of Egypt, Sudan and Ethiopia in Addis Ababa, has concluded its activities on Saturday.

During the meeting, the three countries agreed to hold the second round of meetings in Cairo on December 2nd and 3rd to continue consultations, discussions concerning the disputed technical issues.

On his part, Dr. Mohamed Abdel-Ati, Egyptian Minister of Irrigation, said that during the meeting, they discussed the rules of filling and operating the GERD, with the aim of reaching an agreement by Jan. 15, 2020, according to the joint statement issued following the Egyptian, Ethiopian, and Sudanese foreign ministers’ meeting in Washington on Nov. 6.

Earlier this month, Egypt, Ethiopia and Sudan have renewed their joint commitment to reach a “comprehensive, cooperative and sustainable agreement” regarding the dam.

This came in a joint statement issued by US Department of the Treasury, following the tripartite meeting held in Washington D.C. under the auspices of US, and in the presence of US Secretary of the Treasury Steven Mnuchin and the World Bank Boss David Malpass.

The ministers asserted their agreement to hold four technical government meetings at the level of water ministers.

“The World Bank and the United States (US) would support and attend the meetings as observers,” the statement read.

In addition, the ministers also agreed to “work towards the completion of the agreement by January  15 , 2020” and would attend two meetings in Washington in December and January “to assess and support progress.”

“If no agreement is reached by January 15, 2020, the foreign ministers agree to refer to Article 10 of the 2015 Declaration of Principles,” the joint statement said.

The ministers reaffirmed, “The importance of the Nile for the development of Egypt, Ethiopia and Sudan peoples.”