Sudan proposes new mechanism to solve GERD crisis

Sudan proposed on Thursday to turn the current Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam (GERD) talks mechanism into a quartet track, in which African Union (AU), the United Nations (UN), the European Union (EU), and the United States (US) would play a mediation role.

In a statement, the Supreme Committee to follow up the GERD negotiations stressed Sudan's strong rejection of Ethiopia's unilateral intention to start the second filling of the GERD next July without reaching a binding deal.

The committee also supported the proposal to communicate with the four international parties to explain the idea of the quartet of international mediation on the GERD.

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.

“Sudan cannot bear the endless negotiations that do not end with valuable results and solutions,” Abbas said in Saturday statement.

However, he asserted Sudan’s commitment to the initiative of the African Union and that his country awaits the scheduling of bilateral meetings between experts and observers and each country separately before the January 10th ministerial meeting.