Photos: Archbishop of Canterbury: GERD talks vital to solve disputes, Ethiopia should ensure fair use

CAIRO – 9 October 2021: Visiting Egypt on Friday, Archbishop of Canterbury Justin Welby said the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam negotiations are vital to resolve water disputes between Egypt, Sudan and Ethiopia.

Welby called on the Ethiopian government to ensure a fair use of its mega dam built on the Blue Nile, as he held a press conference, a statement by the Anglican Diocese of Egypt said.

Addressing the Palestinian cause, Welby affirmed the right of Palestinians to live fairly without fear of leaving their lands, hoping that Israelis can also live in peace within internationally defined borders.

 

He stressed the need to achieve a peace process, which is essential to achieving justice and security.

The UN Security Council adopted this month a presidential statement calling on all three parties involved in the GERD to resume negotiations under the auspices of the African Union.

“The Security Council is not the competent authority in technical and administrative disputes over water sources and rivers.” The UNSC statement said. The Security Council also on the parties to resume negotiations, stressing the need to return to the agreement of principles signed in 2015.

 

Egypt has welcomed the UN Security Council statement issued, encouraging all three countries to resume negotiations with the aim of reaching a legally binding agreement on the filling and operation of the dam within a reasonable time frame.

The Republic Democratic of Congo (DRC), which chairs the African Union for this year, has drawn up a timetable for the tripartite negotiation process, said Egyptian Foreign Minister Sameh Shoukry in a press conference with DRC counterpart Christophe Lutundula.

Egypt, Ethiopia and Sudan are at loggerheads over the $4-billion dam; Cairo voiced concern over its water share [55.5 billion cubic meters] after Ethiopia started building the dam on the Blue Nile in May 2011.

In 2015, the three countries signed the Declaration of Principles, per which the downstream countries [Egypt and Sudan] should not be negatively affected by the construction of the dam.