Sisi to DRC's Tshisekedi: No Compromise on Egypt's Water Rights

President Abdel Fattah El Sisi discussed on Saturday with Félix Tshisekedi, President of the Democratic Republic of the Congo, developments of the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam (GERD) issue.

Sisi and Tshisekedi held inpidual discussions followed by expanded discussions between the delegations of the two countries. The president welcomed his brother President Tshisekedi to his second country Egypt, expressing his appreciation for the close historical relations between the two countries, and the keenness to consolidate joint cooperation between them in various fields.

On his part, Tshisekedi expressed his country's great appreciation for its long and distinguished historical relations with Egypt, especially in light of the pivotal role that Egypt plays regionally in terms of maintaining peace and security, stressing the DRC's keenness to develop these relations in various fields.

"The two leaders mainly tackled the latest developments of the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam (GERD) issue," said Presidency Spokesperson Bassam Rady.

Sisi affirmed Egypt's appreciation for the Congolese president's efforts and confidence in his ability to deal with the Renaissance Dam file, and Egypt's keenness to support those efforts within the framework of the negotiation track sponsored by the Democratic Republic of the Congo, the current president of the African Union And the participation of international partners to reach a binding legal agreement on the rules for the filling and operation of the Dam.

Moreover, Sisi stressed that Egypt will not accept compromising its water security and thus the necessity to reach the desired binding legal agreement that preserves Egypt's water rights and spares the region from further tension and instability.

In the meantime, Tshisekedi affirmed his keenness during the current stage to intensify coordination on this sensitive issue to help all parties achieve progress in the relevant tripartite negotiations, praising in this regard the great effort made by Egypt in pursuit of a fair and balanced agreement on the Dam that takes into account the interests of the three countries.

It's noteworthy that Sisi received on Saturday Tshisekedi at Ettahadiya Palace in eastern Cairo in the presence of Sameh Shoukry, Minister of Foreign Affairs, Mohamed Eid Al-Atti, Minister of Water Resources and Irrigation, and Abbas Kamel, Director of General Intelligence.