Egyptian Ministry refers to 'points of contention' in talks on Ethiopian Dam

CAIRO – 8 July 2020: Egypt’s Ministry of Water Resources referred to fundamental points of contention in the technical and legal procedures and talks between the three concerned countries on the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam, a spokesman said.

Mohamed Al-Sebae, the official spokesman for the ministry affirmed, in an interview with MBC Masr’s Sabahak Masry program, the importance of highlighting the GERD issue on the local and international levels.

Sebae said Ethiopia does not have the desire to reach an agreement on GERD.

This comes although Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed said Tuesday that his country intends no harm for the Egyptian state, adding that the filling stage will start to use the benefits of the heavy rain season.

“We will not deprive Egypt of water and we will reach a final agreement very soon,” said Ahmed in press statements.

Sebae said Tuesday that the Ethiopian statements on GERD oppose what was previously agreed on.

The spokesperson’s press statements came minutes after the end of another negotiations round between the ministers of irrigation of the three countries Egypt, Sudan, Ethiopia on the dam.

Sebae said that there will be another round of negotiations under the auspices of the African Union to reach a final agreement on GERD that protects the water rights of the three countries.

Egypt’s Water Resources Minister earlier in July introduced an Egyptian proposal on the dam, aiming at ensuring the Ethiopian goal of generating electricity and, at the same time, avoiding any harm to the Egyptian and Sudanese interests.

This comes within the framework of implementing the 2015 Declaration of Principles in this regard, in a way that ensures relevant principles of international law are applied, an official statement read, as the minister, heading an Egyptian team, has met with international observers and experts.

During the meeting, the Egyptian side said the country has not rejected any developmental projects on Nile River, including Ethiopian projects, adding that Egypt supports efforts of the Nile Basin countries to meet the aspiration of their peoples.

The Egyptian side has also reviewed the country’s situation concerning water, affirming that the GERD issue is existential to Egypt. It also highlighted Egypt’s keenness to reach a fair and balanced agreement on the dam, which takes into consideration the interests of the three countries.

Egypt also reviewed the technical and legal aspects of the GERD issue with the observers.