UNSC Calls Upon Parties to Resolve GERD Dispute via Dialogue

Less than two hours ago, the United Nations Security Council convened for a special discussion over the dispute about the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam (GERD).

The speeches, given virtual through video, of the member states of the Security Council agreed on the necessity of settling and resolving the Renaissance crisis through dialogue and negotiations between Egypt, Sudan and Ethiopia.

Member states indicated the necessity of continuing negotiations between the three countries, until reaching an agreement that does not harm any of them.

The US delegate to the United Nations, Kelly Kraft, said that the United States encourages Egypt, Sudan and Ethiopia to "make concessions in order to achieve progress" in the negotiations.

In her speech, Kraft called on the three countries not to issue any statements or actions that could "undermine the goodwill that helps to reach an agreement", and revealed her country's aspiration "to obtain additional reports on this issue."

Two days ago, the three countries have agreed during a virtual summit, to work on an agreement within a duration of two to three weeks before the filling process started.

“Consensus reached to finalize the GERD agreement within 2 to 3 weeks,” Seleshi Bekele, Ethiopia’s Minister of Water, Irrigation and Energy said in a tweet.

On his part then, Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed stressed that the construction works of the GERD will continue.

The development came as Sudan has followed Egypt in addressing the UNSC, calling upon the international body to assume its role in solving the crisis, by discouraging all parties from taking unilateral actions.

In a letter to the United Nations Security Council, Sudan said that it is “deeply concerned” about Ethiopia’s decision to start filling its controversial dam on the Blue Nile without prior agreement with downstream countries Egypt and Sudan.

According to the letter, Khartoum said the unilateral filling of the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam (GERD) will put the operation of the Sudanese Roseires dam, whose reservoir is located 15 km away from the Ethiopian dam, and the lives of millions of people living downstream at “a very high risk.”