Egypt’s FM deprioritizes military solution in Libya, slams Ethiopian stance on GERD

CAIRO – 21 June 2020: Egypt’s Minister of Foreign Affairs Sameh Shoukry said Egypt seeks making the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam (GERD) a supporter to the Ethiopian economy, adding that Ethiopia, however, has refrained from singing an agreement.

Egypt on Friday called on the United Nations Security Council (UNSC), to intervene in the GERD issue, a day after the Egyptian water resources minister said talks to resolve differences on filling and operating the dam were concluded, after failing to persuade Ethiopia to refer the issue to the prime ministers of Egypt, Ethiopia and Sudan as a last chance to reach an agreement,

In an interview with Egypt’s ON E TV channel, Shoukry said the issue of the dam concern the lives of 150 million Egyptian and Sudanese citizens, noting that Egypt has shown good intentions in the GERD talks, but no positive results were reached in light of Ethiopia’s intransigence.

Shoukry said the UNSC is currently the body concerned with resolving the GERD issue, affirming that its decisions are binding. He noted that Egypt does not ask for any punitive measures against Ethiopia.

The foreign minister affirmed Egypt’s willingness to hold serious negotiations as the only solution to the crisis, away from any waste of time, and to avoid Ethiopia from taking unilateral measures.



On the Libyan issue, Shoukry told Saudi Al-Arabiya that any threat to the Egyptian and Arab security will have an appropriate response, a day after Egyptian President Abdel Fattah El Sisi said "any direct intervention by Egypt in Libya has become legitimate in line with UNSC resolutions, and upon the call of the legitimate authority in Libya."

Shoukry said Egypt seeks to enhance the political solution in Libya and calls for self-restraint, adding that Libya’s Government of National Accord, which Egypt does not back, has not correctly assessed President Sisi’s stance.

Shoukry affirmed that Egypt considers the military solution as the last resort.

He denounced Turkey’s “expansion” in Libya, saying that it violates international legitimacy.