Egypt, Sudan express rejection of Ethiopia’s 2nd phase of GERD filling

CAIRO – 6 July 2021: Egyptian and Sudanese foreign ministers expressed their rejection of Ethiopia’s announcement of starting the filling process for the second year.

Both leaders considered the announcement as explicit violation of the provisions of the Declaration of Principles Agreement concluded between the three countries in 2015, and a violation of international laws and norms governing the exploitation of transboundary river resources.

They see Ethiopia’s escalation as “bad intention and desire to impose a fait accompli on the two downstream countries, and its indifference to the negative effects and damages that its interests may suffer due to the unilateral filling of the Renaissance Dam.

This came during a meeting between Egyptian Foreign Minister Sameh Shoukry and his Sudanese counterpart Dr. Maryam Sadiq al-Mahdi in New York, to discuss the developments of the Ethiopian Renaissance Dam issue, and in preparation for the United Nations Security Council session scheduled to be held on Thursday at the request of Egypt and Sudan.

The two ministers agreed on the need to continue conducting intensive contacts and consultations with the member states of the Security Council to urge them to support the position of Egypt and Sudan and to support their call for the need to reach a legally binding agreement on filling and operating the Renaissance Dam that takes into account the interests of the three countries and preserves the rights of the downstream countries from the damages of this project to Egypt and Sudan.

Ethiopia’s 2nd filling escalation

Egypt’s Irrigation Minister Mohamed Abdel Ati received on Monday an official letter from his Ethiopian counterpart Seleshi Bekele confirming that Ethiopia started the second phase of filling the reservoir of its controversial mega dam.

Ethiopia has reiterated its plans to implement the second phase of filling in July and through the rainy season whether a deal is reached or not.

Rounds of African Union-sponsored talks have collapsed with Egypt and Sudan blaming the collapse of negotiations on Ethiopia’s intransigence.

In response to Bekele’s Monday letter, Abdel Ati sent an official letter to the Ethiopian minister voicing Egypt’s categorical rejection of Ethiopia’s unilateral act, a statement by the Egyptian irrigation ministry spokesman read.

The Egyptian Foreign Ministry re-sent the letter of Abdel Ati to the chief of the United Nations Security Council to brief the council on this “dangerous” update in light of the council’s planned session on GERD on Thursday, the statement read.