State Department: US supports Egypt’s rights, seeks to reach GERD deal

CAIRO - 25 June 2021: Samuel Warberg, a regional spokesman for the US State Department, said the US supports the Egyptians’ right and the recognizes the importance of the Nile water, noting that the US does not question Egypt’s right in Nile water.

Warberg told DMC the US would not leave 100 million people representing the Egyptian population without water and is exerting efforts to reach a suitable agreement.

Warberg affirmed that the US envoy to the Horn of Africa is tasked with the GERD issue and the resumption of GERD talks to reach an agreement.

On the Palestinian issue, Warberg said Egypt has played a vital and decisive role to achieve de-escalation between the Palestinians and the Israelis.

He affirmed that the US would provide humanitarian aid to Palestine and would resume negotiations with the Palestinians.

Warberg said the US shares strategic cultural, political and military relations with Egypt that has extended for 40 years.

He expressed hope that US President Joe Biden visits Egypt and that Egyptian President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi visits the US, saying that the two countries would witness exchange visits during the coming period.

Egypt is playing a significant role in the region, Warberg said, expressing the US appreciation for the Egyptian role in achieve stability and reach ceasefire in Libya.

Egypt and Sudan are already in an escalating dispute with Ethiopia, which has reiterated plans to implement the second filling of its massive GERD in July.

Ethiopia’s plans brush aside Egypt and Sudan’s objections and concerns about their water rights in the event of implementing the second filling before a binding agreement is reached among the three countries.

The agreement should regulate the filling and operation processes of the dam in a way that ensures the two countries’ water rights and prevents Ethiopia from unilaterally controlling the water flow to the downstream countries.