Ethiopia says 2nd phase of GERD filling to proceed without deal

In a defiant move, Ethiopia announced on Wednesday that the second phase of the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam (GERD) reservoir filling would proceed as planned, without reaching a legal binding deal.

In press statements, Ethiopian Foreign Ministry Legal Advisor Ibrahim Idris affirmed Ethiopia's right to build the dam according to a document signed by Egypt, Ethiopia, and Sudan.

He also added that Addis Ababa will continue the second phase of the dam's reservoir filling, away from the ongoing negotiations between the three countries.

Idris pointed out that his country would proceed with building the dam despite Egyptian and Sudanese ' unacceptable' attempts.

Earlier, Sudanese Irrigation and Water Resources Minister Yasser Abbas said that any unilateral step to fill Ethiopia’s Renaissance Dam in July would pose a direct threat to its national security.

Both Egypt and Sudan objected to the unilateral decision last July when Ethiopia declared that it completed the first filling of the dam without returning back to both countries or reaching a final legal binding agreement on the filling and operating of the dam.

Sudan has been vocal that GERD is a direct threat to the Roseiers Dam.

Sudan has pulled off the latest round of talks after being ‘surprised’ that the AU has called to resume tripartite negotiations ignoring its demands of holding bilateral meetings between the experts and each of the three countries separately to discuss and identify points of difference.