Nile Countries Agree to Restart Talks Over Disputed Dam
CAIRO, EGYPT - The leaders of Egypt, Sudan and Ethiopia agreed late Friday to return to talks aimed at reaching an accord over the filling of Ethiopia's new hydroelectric dam on the Blue Nile, according to statements from the three nations.
Early Saturday, Seleshi Bekele, Ethiopia's water and energy
minister, confirmed that the countries had decided during an African
Union summit to restart stalled negotiations and finalize an agreement
over the contentious mega-project within two to three weeks, with
support from the AU.
However, Bekele told VOA’s Horn of Africa service later Saturday that the filling of the dam would go forward next month regardless of the outcome of the talks. He said the filling of the dam "depends on the completion of works, not on an agreement between the countries.”
Bekele added that work on the dam is almost completed and said, "No one can impose its will on an independent country.”
The announcement of an AU summit offered a modest reprieve from weeks
of bellicose rhetoric and escalating tensions over the $4.6 billion
Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam, which Ethiopia had vowed to start
filling at the start of the rainy season in July.
Egypt and Sudan said Ethiopia would refrain from filling the dam next month until the countries reached a deal. Ethiopia did not comment explicitly on the start of the filling period.
Ethiopia has hinged its development ambitions on the colossal dam,
describing it as a crucial lifeline to bring millions out of poverty.
Egypt, which relies on the Nile for more than 90% of its water
supplies and already faces high water stress, fears a devastating impact
on its booming population of 100 million. Sudan, which also depends on
the Nile for water, has played a key role in bringing the two sides
together after the collapse of U.S.-mediated talks in February.
Just last week, Ethiopian Foreign Minister Gedu Andargachew warned
that his country could begin filling the dam's reservoir unilaterally,
after the latest round of talks with Egypt and Sudan failed to reach an
accord governing how the dam will be filled and operated.
After an AU video conference chaired by South Africa late Friday,
Egyptian President Abdel Fattah el-Sissi said that "all parties” had
pledged not to take "any unilateral action” by filling the dam without a
final agreement, said Bassam Radi, Egypt's presidency spokesman.
Sudanese Prime Minister Abdalla Hamdok also indicated the impasse
between the Nile basin countries had eased, saying the nations had
agreed to restart negotiations through a technical committee with the
aim of finalizing a deal in two weeks. Ethiopia won't fill the dam
before inking the much-anticipated deal, Hamdok's statement added.
African Union Commission Chairman Moussa Faki Mahamat said the
countries "agreed to an AU-led process to resolve outstanding issues,”
without elaborating.
Sticking points in the talks have been how much water Ethiopia will
release downstream from the dam if a multi-year drought occurs and how
Ethiopia, Egypt and Sudan will resolve any future disagreements.
Both Egypt and Sudan have appealed to the U.N. Security Council to
intervene in the years-long dispute and help the countries avert a
crisis. The council is set to hold a public meeting on the issue
Monday.
Filling the dam without an agreement could bring the stand-off to a critical juncture. Both Egypt and Ethiopia have hinted at military steps to protect their interests, and experts fear a breakdown in talks could lead to open conflict.
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