US urges Egypt, Sudan, Ethiopia to cooperate, resolve GERD dispute

CAIRO – 24 April 2021: US National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan urged Egypt, Sudan and Ethiopia to “come together and resolve their disputes around the Grand Ethiopia Renaissance Dam and their shared water resources,” a statement by the White House read.

Sullivan in the Friday statement announced the appointment of Ambassador Jeff Feltman as the US Special Envoy for the Horn of Africa.

On the Tigray conflict, Sullivan urged “immediate withdrawal of Eritrean forces from the region, the cessation of hostilities by all parties, and unimpeded humanitarian access.”

Sullivan said Feltman’s work will build on the US ongoing efforts to address this urgent crisis in Ethiopia.

“The United States is ready to work with our allies and partners to promote shared peace and prosperity across the Horn of Africa,” Sullivan said.

Rounds of negotiations among Egypt, Sudan and Ethiopia on the Ethiopian dam (GERD) have reached a deadlock several times with Egypt blaming the failure on Ethiopia’s intransigence.

Egypt and Sudan insist that a legally binding agreement on the filling and operation of the dam should be reached before Ethiopia implements the second phase of dam filling.

Ethiopia, however, says it will complete the dam filling in July with or without an agreement.

Egypt on April 13 sent a letter to the United Nations Security Council, calling on the international community to engage in advancing the stalled GERD talks and persuade Ethiopia to refrain from unilateral acts.

Also, Sudanese Minister of Irrigation Yasser Abbas warned that his country will sue the Italian executing company, Salini Impregilo (rebranded as Webuild Group) and the Ethiopian government in case the second filling was unilaterally implemented without a deal.

The lawsuits will be based on the need to compensate Sudan for the damages that will be caused by the filling process, according to Abbas.