The Egyptian presidential spokesperson Ahmed Fahmy revealed that Ethiopia is willing to negotiate on the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam (GERD) within a specific time frame.
Fahmy affirmed Egypt’s position on the GERD, which aims to support the Ethiopian people’s right to development and Egypt’s right to life – he stressed that Egypt’s position cannot be neglected or waived.
“Egypt provides whatever support it can to all brotherly African countries, and has built a dam in Tanzania,” he said, adding that “We support this and help with sincerity, and desire to achieve development because it is reflected in everyone, and the Nile River is a source of cooperation and development, and it must remain so.”
“Ethiopia pledged to guarantee water needs during the filling period (of GERD). It is best for everyone to direct its resources to development, and to participate in achieving development. There is a lot that we as Africans can offer to each other, and we look forward to that being reflected in the course of negotiations.”
Egyptian President Abdel-Fattah al-Sisi Sisi on Thursday received Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed, and they discussed ways to overcome the current stalemate in GERD negotiations.
They agreed to initiate urgent negotiations to finalize the agreement between Egypt, Ethiopia and Sudan to fill the GERD and the rules for its operation, and to make all necessary efforts to finish it within four months.
A joint statement issued after the meeting said that during the period of these negotiations, Ethiopia made clear its commitment during the filling of the dam during the hydrological year 2023-2024, not to cause significant harm to Egypt and Sudan, in order to provide the water needs of both countries.
Stagnant talks
The Ethiopian government announced on August 11, 2022, that it has completed the third GERD filling unilaterally.
It announced the operation of the second turbine in the GERD to generate electric power, which comes in light of the tension between Addis Ababa and Egypt, Sudan due to what the two countries consider a negative impact of the dam on their water shares of the Nile River.
Egypt and Sudan say they want a legally binding agreement on operating the dam, while Ethiopia says any pact should be advisory.
Both countries consider the dam a threat to their vital water supplies, while Ethiopia considers it essential for development and doubling its electricity production.
The downstream nations fear possible blows to water facilities, agricultural land, and overall availability of Nile water.
Negotiations over the dam between Egypt, Ethiopia, and Sudan have stalled for years, with the three parties ultimately failing to reach any agreements.
The disputed dam is the largest hydroelectric project in Africa, with a cost of more than four billion dollars.
