Sudan to defend Egypt’s water right in Ethiopian Dam talks: PM

CAIRO – 2 January 2020: Sudan’s Prime Minister Abdalla Hamdok on Wednesday suggested solving technical issues regarding the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam through mutual understanding, and said Sudan would defend Egypt’s right in water share.

In an interview with Editor-in-Chief of Egyptian state’s Al Ahram newspaper Alaa Thabet, Hamdok affirmed that Sudan and Egypt have a similar stance concerning GERD and that information exchange would help the three countries reach a solution to the crisis.

Egypt and Ethiopia are at loggerheads over the $4-billion GERD; Cairo voiced concern over its water share after Ethiopia started building the dam on the Blue Nile in May 2011.

In November, the US sent an invitation to the three countries to resume the talks. Meetings were held with foreign and water ministers of Egypt and Upper stream countries, in the presence of United States Secretary of Treasury Steven Mnuchin and a representative from the World Bank.

US President Donald Trump praised that meeting with the top representatives of the three countries, saying on his Twitter that it “went well and discussions will continue during the day!”

Sisi, following Trump’s remarks, also lauded the constructive and pivotal role played by the American president and the US, which reflects the depth of the strategic relations between Egypt and the United States. The president said that this would contribute to reaching an agreement on the filling and operation of GERD and promoting stability and development in East Africa.

Asked about his recent visit to Egypt, Hamdok pointed out that he discussed with Egyptian officials the activation of economic integration, given the strategic ties between the two countries, Egypt’s official news agency MENA reported.

The Sudanese prime minister said that he mulled with Prime Minister Mostafa Madbouli and Electricity Minister Mohamed Shaker the 509 million pound electricity linkage project, which is slated to come into service on January 12, with a production capacity of 300 megawatts.

Hamdok noted that he reviewed with Madbouli means of fostering bilateral cooperation in the fields of investment, education and health.