A joint statement between Egypt, Sudan and Ethiopia, the President of the World Bank and the Secretary US Treasury has revealed that all three countries’ officials have reached an initial plan for the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam (GERD) operations, after months of deadlock. The statement, published by the US Treasury department in Washington, where talks have been ongoing for the last days, revealed the outcome of the meetings. Initially, points raised in the statement concern the filing of the damn, which is set to be carried out during the “during the wet season, generally from July to August, and will continue in September subject to certain conditions.” It also mentions an initial goal of filing 595 m above ground level in order to accelerate electricity-generating in Ethiopia, as well as a mechanism for periods of droughts. “During long term operation, the GERD will operate according to a mechanism that determines release based upon the hydrological conditions of the Blue Nile and the level of the GERD that provides electricity generation and appropriate mitigation measures for Egypt and Sudan during prolonged periods of dry years, drought and prolonged drought,” read the…
