Ethiopia committed to ‘win-win’ solution for GERD dispute: irrigation minister

CAIRO – 5 March 2021: Ethiopia's Minister of Water, Irrigation and Energy Seleshi Bekele said on Thursday that his country is looking forward to a “win-win solution” for the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam through trilateral negotiation.

Bekele’s remarks came after he hosted a delegation from the Democratic Republic of Congo to discuss the ongoing negotiations with Egypt and Sudan to reach a deal on GERD.

1/3 Today, I had a pleasure hosting the Democratic Republic of Congo delegation on the #GERD trilateral negotiation among Ethiopia, Egypt & Sudan. DRC is the current chair of AU. We have discussed the current stalemates, mechanisms of resumption of negotiation &

— Dr Eng Seleshi Bekele (@seleshi_b_a) March 4, 2021

“We have discussed the current stalemates, mechanisms of resumption of negotiation and Ethiopia’s views on the negotiation issues, progress of the construction and way forward,” Bekele said in a tweet.

“Ethiopia remains committed to a win-win solution and as always committed to African solutions for African problems in finding true solution through trilateral negotiation,” he added.

Egypt and Sudan have jointly and separately highlighted the need to reach a binding agreement on the dam, to secure the rights of both countries.

However, Ethiopia unilaterally implemented the first phase of the dam filling last year and insists to implement the second filling next July despite the absence of a binding agreement and the concerns of the Egypt and Sudan.

Ongoing rounds of the African Union-sponsored talks on the issue have been in a stalemate. However, the three countries have expressed optimism of DR Congo’s chairmanship of the AU this year.