Ethiopia says it did not receive an official ‘quartet mediation’ proposal

CAIRO- 16 March 2021: Ethiopia’s Foreign Ministry said that they haven’t received an official proposal to form a quartet committee that includes the European Union, the United Nations, the United States and the African Union to mediate the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam (GERD) talks.

In a press conference, Tuesday, the Foreign Ministry’s spokesperson Dina Mufti added that ‘Ethiopia always welcome negotiations.’

These statements however, contradict to previous ones Mufti said in a press conference held March 9, as he noted that the Renaissance Dam issue can be resolved through the ongoing negotiations led by the African Union, and that the talks ‘does not require the participation of other parties’ referring to the Sundanese quartet mediation committee proposal that was upheld by Egypt.

Ethiopia’s Foreign Ministry also informed Congo delegation earlier this week that they ‘reject the quartet mediation proposal’ and that other parties cannot be involved in the Renaissance Dam negotiations.

Sudan however, which initially announced the proposal wants to push forward in this regard.

In a statement issued in January, the Sudanese Ministry of Irrigation stated that it still adopts the principle of African solutions for African issues by demanding a bigger role for African experts affiliated to the African Union (AU). However, the country also believes that the international community can contribute in persuading Addis Ababa to abandon its rigid stance on the issue.

During a visit to Cairo, earlier this week, Sudan’s Prime Minister Abdalla Hamdok said that Egypt and Sudan have a common point of view regarding Ethiopia’s Renaissance Dam issue, and that the two countries perspectives are in harmony in this matter.

He noted that both sides agree on the quartet mechanism of mediation to include the African Union (AU), the European Union (EU), the United Nations (UN), and the United States.

Egypt’s president Abdel Fatah al Sisi also affirmed the necessity of reaching a fair and legal agreement on the Renaissance Dam filling and operating during meeting with Armed Forces personnel on March 9.

He said that Egypt and Sudan share a historical relation as old as the Nile River, and that both countries are keen on preserving their relations and to develop it.

He added that Sudan is currently going through a transitioning period in which Egypt will be supporting them in all possible ways.

Regarding the Ethipoian dam, Sisi said that Nile River is ‘life itself’ for both of Egypt and Sudan, so they are still calling on reaching a legal-binding agreement regarding the Renaissance Dam filling and operating.

He further added that Egypt does not refuse any benefits Ethiopia will gain as a result of the dam; however, ‘we are insisting on continuing the negotiations which will lead to a win-win legal-binding agreement’ Sisi said.

“What unites us with Nile River is much stronger than any form of disagreement” Sisi affirmed, noting that negotiations cannot last forever.