Johannesburg – United States President Donald Trump has helped break the deadlock in talks between Egypt and Ethiopia on the construction of the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam (GERD) by Ethiopia following intensive talks between the two North African countries, as well as Sudan, in Washington DC.
Trump tweeted that Wednesday’s meeting went well and that discussions on resolving the issue would continue after Sudan, Egypt and Ethiopia’s foreign ministers agreed to reach a comprehensive, cooperative, adaptive, sustainable, and mutually beneficial agreement on the filling and operation of the dam and to establish a clear process for fulfilling that commitment in accordance with the 2015 Declaration of Principles.
Cairo asked for Washington’s intervention after years of fruitless talks with Addis Ababa over GERD’s construction – which began in 2010 – specifically over the filling of the dam and the timetable for its operation.
Egypt, which claims historical rights to the Nile River resources and relies on it for supplying the majority of its water, expressed concern that filling the dam would impede its water supply while Ethiopia argued that its construction is vital for an improved electricity supply.
Sudan has not been directly involved in the confrontation between the two countries but is the third country situated on the Nile so is also affected.
