The Ethiopian Ministry of Foreign Affairs issued a statement on Monday regarding the conclusion of the second tripartite negotiations regarding the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam (GERD).
“Ethiopia hosted the second round of tripartite negotiations between Ethiopia, Sudan, and Egypt from September 23 to 24. This round of talks began with optimism about achieving progress and narrowing differences on outstanding issues,” the statement reads.
It continued, “Convinced of accomplishing the mission entrusted by His Excellency Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed and His Excellency President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi, and in order to preserve the positive spirit between the parties, Ethiopia negotiated in good faith throughout the second round of talks.”
“The three countries managed to make progress in identifying issues of potential convergence. It also agreed to continue tripartite negotiations on October in Cairo, Egypt.”
The statement claimed that Egypt appeared in a position undermining the Declaration of Principles agreement signed in 2015.
It added that it is unfortunate that Egypt continues to insist on maintaining an exclusionary treaty dating back to the colonial era – based on monopolistic exploitation and demanding colonial water quotas – which has prevented tangible progress in the negotiations.
Ethiopia confirms that the goal of the current tripartite negotiations is to finalize the guidelines and rules related to the first filling and annual operation of the GERD, one that guarantees Ethiopia’s rights and accommodates the legitimate concerns of downstream countries.
“It is important to emphasize that Ethiopia is deeply involved in tripartite negotiations to ensure the interests of current and future generations of Ethiopians regarding the exploitation of the Nile River. Ethiopia will continue its participation to reach a win-win outcome for all parties through the ongoing tripartite negotiations regarding the Renaissance Dam,” the statement concluded.
