Egypt’s Sisi, High-profile Sudanese delegation discuss GERD issue

CAIRO – 15 January 2021: Egyptian President Abdel Fattah El Sisi affirmed Egypt's stance towards Sudan, saying this stance stems from the historic ties between the two peoples of the Nile Valley, said Egyptian Presidency Spokesperson Bassam Radi in a statement on Thursday.

 

“A stance that has not and will not change under any circumstances and has long reflected Egypt’s constant policy over time,” President Sisi said during his meeting with Lieutenant General Shamseddin Kabashi, a member of the Sovereign Council of Sudan and his delegation in Cairo.

 

The Sudanes high-profile delegation includes Minister of Culture and Information Mr. Faisal Mohamed Saleh, Director of the General Intelligence Authority Lieutenant General Jamal Abdel-Majid, Transitional Sovereignty Council Secretary-General Lieutenant General Mohamed Al-Ghali, and Sudanese Ambassador to Cairo Mr. Mohamed Elias Al-Hajj.

 

 

The meeting discussed the course of bilateral relations between the two sides and ways to promote them in all fields, as well as the current regional issues of mutual concern, Radi said.

 

President Sisi voiced his aspiration to continue cooperation and coordination with Sudan regarding all files of mutual interest, in order to strengthen the eternal ties, unshakable unity and the common interests between Egypt and Sudan, Radi continued.

 

Also, the meeting discussed the overall regional issues in the Horn of Africa and the Nile Basin regions. 

 

Lt. Gen. Kabashi praised the sincere Egyptian stances which aim to preserve Sudan's stability during the current transitional phase, Radi said, adding that Lt. Gen. Kabashi briefed President El-Sisi on the latest developments concerning the clashes along the border between Sudan and Ethiopia and the latest developments regarding the issue of the Renaissance Dam. 

 

“They agreed on the importance of continuing mutual coordination and intensive joint consultation for the good of the two countries, the two brotherly peoples, and the region as a whole,” Radi said.

 

As for the issue of the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam (GERD) between Egypt, Sudan and Ethoipia, the tripartite talks between the three countries recently failed again due to disagreements over how to resume negotiations, according to a statement from Egypt’s Foreign Ministry on Sunday.

 

It was added that the six-way talks on GERD failed to make any progress, due to a disagreement on how to resume the negotiations and other procedural aspects of the negotiating process.

 

Foreign Minister Sameh Shoukry and Irrigation Minister Mohamed Abdel Aati took part Sunday in the talks, chaired by South Africa, the current president of the African Union, with their counterparts from Sudan and Ethiopia via video conference.

 

In a statement, the ministry said that Egypt reiterated during the meeting its readiness to engage in serious talks to reach a legally binding agreement on the filling and operating of the dam, in a way that serves the interests of the three African countries and protects Egypt’s water rights.

 

"Sudan has insisted that the experts, appointed by the African Union Commission, be tasked with proposing solutions to the controversial issues," the statement said.

 

However, Egypt and Ethiopia have expressed reservations on Sudan's proposal, as the experts are not specialists in the technical and engineering matters related to water resource management and dam operation. it added.

 

South Africa’s foreign minister said she felt sorry for not achieving any progress from the meetings.

 

Egypt is diplomatically pressing to find solutions to the outstanding issues regarding the dam’s operation and reservoir filling, particularly ahead of the second round of the filling process due in August 2021.

 

In mid-July 2020, Ethiopian authorities unilaterally carried out the first phase of the filling process with 4.9 billion cubic meters; and it is expected – as reported by the BBC- that the second phase of the filling would reach 13 billion cubic meters.

 

 In previous remarks to Egypt Today, former Minister of Water Resources and Irrigation Houssam Moughazi said, “It is hopeful that the three countries.