Ethiopia Denies Starting GERD's Second Filling despite Sudan's "Evidence"

The government of Ethiopia has denied starting the second filling the controversial Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam (GERD).

A Sudanese official said on Tuesday that Sudan has evidence indicating that Ethiopia began the second phase of filling the reservoir this month, citing data on river flows collected in Sudan.

Sudanese technical records show changes in the level of the Blue Nile indicating that the water is being collected, the official said.

"This is not true. Statements of Sudanese officials were deliberate misleading aimed at confusing everyone," Ethiopian Water Minister Seleshi Bekele claims.

Anadolu Agency earlier cited Mustafa Hussein Al-Zubair, Sudan’s chief negotiator on the dam, as saying the second filling has started. Ethiopia enacted the first phase of filling the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam’s reservoir last year and was understood to be planning the second phase around July.

Anadolu Agency had earlier quoted Mustafa Hussein Al-Zubair, Sudan's chief negotiator on the dam, as saying that the second filling of the dam had begun.

Ethiopia enacted the first phase of filling the GERD reservoir last year and it was understood that it was planning the second phase around July. Downstream countries, Egypt and Sudan, which fear the dam would limit the water supply, have demanded a legal and binding agreement on the filling and operating the dam before Ethiopia goes on with any filling.

Meantime, Ethiopia continues obstinacy for almost a decade of stalled negotiations.

The dam will have grave and unexpected consequences for its downstream neighbours Egypt and Sudan, creating an explosive scenario in the Horn of Africa.