Negotiations on the crucial issue of the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam (GERD) resumed on Monday, 18 December, as Egypt entered the fourth round of talks, aiming to solidify an agreement on the dam’s filling and operation for the next four months, according to a statement by Egypt’s Ministry of Water Resources and Irrigation. The negotiations took place in Addis Ababa with the participation of ministerial delegations from Egypt, Sudan and Ethiopia. The meeting is a follow-up on recent talks held in Cairo and Addis Ababa over the past two months. This round of negotiations comes after a series of failed meetings, highlighting Ethiopia’s firm stance, particularly in the first and second rounds of talks. Nevertheless, Egypt persists in pushing for dialogue, seeking a binding agreement that secures the interests of all parties. The crux of the negotiations and disagreements lies in the unilateral filling and operation of the dam by Ethiopia, as Ethiopia insists on flexibility of water sharing based on rainfall and dam levels, but Egypt wants a binding agreement on water sharing. Although Egypt and Sudan maintain that their historical water share should be honored, Ethiopia believes that…
GERD Negotiations Enter Crucial Phase: Egypt Aims for Binding Agreement
December 19, 2023
