Sudan Refuses to Split GERD Negotiations into 2 Agreements

Sudan refused Sunday to split agreements on the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam (GERD), for the first filling and permanent operation as two separate ones.

During a bilateral meeting with the African Union, the Sudanese negotiating team called for reaching a single comprehensive agreement that would address all issues related to the GERD.

This meeting, which was held yesterday, came in response to Sudan's call to give African Union a greater role in facilitating negotiations between Sudan, Egypt and Ethiopia.

It aimed at contributing to the preparation of a second draft of the proposed memorandum of the agreement, which the three countries received at the previous six-party meeting at the beginning of this month, taking into account notes from all parties.

The country informed the AU on Thursday of its concerns about Addis Ababa’s announcement to proceed with filling the GERD for the second year in July without prior notification, signing an agreement or sharing information.

The Minister of Irrigation Yasser Abbas sent a letter to Minister of International Relations and Cooperation of South Africa, who is presiding over the negotiations, warning that Ethiopia’s declaration represents a direct threat to the Roseires Dam and residents living on the banks of the Nile.

He referred to the negative impacts caused by the first filling in July 2020 on drinking water stations in the capital Khartoum.

Abbas affirmed that his country is committed to continuing negotiations on the dam under the auspices of the AU, but only if the methodology is modified by giving experts a greater role.

“Sudan does not tolerate nor can it bear to proceed with endless negotiations, without results or solutions,” he said.