Sudan rejects Ethiopian proposal of “partial agreement” on GERD

CAIRO – 13 May 2020: The Sudanese Ministry of Irrigation, representing Sudan’s government, rejected Tuesday in a press statement an Ethiopian proposal of a “partial agreement” that would only cover the first stage of GERD’s filling, supposedly to occur in July.

The Sudanese Prime Minister Abdullah Hamdok has previously rejected the Ethiopian proposal sent to Egypt and Sudan on April 10 through an official letter sent to the Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed last month.

The statement said that any partial agreement is out of the discussion as there are several technical and legal issues that must be included as per coordination mechanisms, exchanged data, and the safety of the giant hydropower dam and its ecological and social impact.

The statement quoted Sudan's chief negotiator Hamad Saleh, “Most of the issues are under negotiation, the most important of which is the coordination mechanism, data exchange, dam safety and environmental and social impacts closely related not only to the first filling, but to all stages of filling and long-term operation, and therefore cannot be fragmented.”

Hamdok asserted in his letter the importance of realizing a tripartite agreement between Egypt, Sudan, and Ethiopia, adding that reaching a comprehensive agreement can only be achieved through an immediate resumption of negotiations.

Ethiopia rejected in February an agreement mediated by the US on the filling and operation of the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam (GERD).

In response to the Ethiopian proposal, President Abdel Fatah al Sisi reiterated his country’s “unwavering commitment to concluding a mutually beneficial agreement on the GERD”.

Egypt asserted in a message sent in April to Ethiopia’s Ahmed that any agreement on the GERD must be comprehensive and must regulate the complete process of filling the dam.

Sudan's chief negotiator Hamad Saleh pointed out that his country is moving to resume the negotiations as per the agreement brokered in Washington, adding that his country’s movements could end up the resumption of negotiations.