Egypt, Sudan, Ethiopia to Hold Urgent Meeting Sept.30

Egypt, Sudan and Ethiopia will hold an “urgent meeting” for the independent scientific group in Khartoum from September 30 to October 3 to discuss the three countries’ proposals concerning the rules to fill and operate Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam (GERD).

In an official statement, Egypt irrigation ministry announced that the technical negotiations held in Cairo between irrigation ministers of Egypt, Sudan, and Ethiopia over GERD have failed to achieve any progress.

“The negotiations did not address the technical aspects, and were limited to procedural aspects, because Ethiopia refused to discuss the Egyptian proposal,” the statement read.

In the statement, Egypt called on the Ethiopian side to engage in serious technical negotiations during the upcoming meetings set to be held in Khartoum on the bases of good will to reach an agreement, in accordance with the Declaration of Principles Agreement signed in Khartoum last March 2015.

Since 2014, Cairo, Addis Ababa, and Khartoum have engaged in talks to reach a final agreement on operating the GERD and its expected effect on both Egypt and Sudan.

The filling of the dam could have a significant impact on the share of water reaching the Nile basin countries. Meanwhile, Ethiopia has suggested a three-year filling time, yet Egypt is requesting a period of seven years.