GERD: Latest Developments, Sudan's Position

Sudan expressed, Saturday, its absolute determination to complete the path of negotiations regarding the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam (GERD) crisis, claiming that it did not have any intention to internationalize the dam issue.

Sudan's Prime Minister Abdalla Hamdok stated that Egypt, Sudan, and Ethiopia have agreed on 90 percent of the issues concerning the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam (GERD), adding that the remaining matters need further discussions.

Hamdok's statements came in an interview with the Egyptian privately-owned newspaper Al-Shorouk.

"Our stance is clear on the GERD issue," Hamdok said. "We support dialogue to resolve disputes and reach an agreement that grants all three countries the right to benefit from rivers and water as a natural right.”

On Egyptian-Sudanese cooperation, the Sudanese PM stated that the two countries have cooperated in the fields of health, electricity and infrastructure, affirming that there are big opportunities for cooperation with Egypt in the fields of agriculture and livestock as well.

He also referred to a bilateral agreement to establish a railway line between Alexandria and Khartoum and a deal on electricity projects.

"We also seek to benefit from Egypt’s experience in extending roads and developing infrastructure, as well as in education, scientific research, and training," he stated.

Sudan's acting Foreign Minister Omar Qamar al-Din affirmed in statements to the state’s TV that using force in the dam negotiations is “unacceptable”, stressing that they do not support it.

Qamar al-Din pointed out that his country did not intend to internationalize the issue of the Renaissance Dam, asserting its determination to complete the path of negotiations.

"The United States was a mediator in the negotiations, and the Egyptian side was more keen on continuing this mediation," he mentioned.

He noted that Ethiopia has promoted the colonial agreements in its favor in regard the GERD negotiations, affirming that colonial agreements are still obligatory and states shall adhere to them.

"Time is in our favor, as the second filling of the Dam will begin next fall," The Sudanese minister stated, refereeing that Cairo "was able to make the water security’s matter a national security issue."

On the other hand, Cairo announced, 4 November, the failure to reach an agreement on a methodology for completing the negotiations in the next stage.

Discussions among Egypt, Sudan, and Ethiopia on GERD have shown a lack of agreement as regards the methodology for completing negotiations in the coming stage, the Ministry of Water Resources and Irrigation said in a statement.

“This comes after the water ministers of the three countries held a meeting today about the best framework for managing ongoing African Union-brokered negotiations on the Ethiopian dam,” the ministry added.