Nation Committed to Resumption of Talks on GERD: Ministry of Foreign Affairs

Addis Ababa, August 7/2020( ENA) Ethiopia remains committed to continue the tripartite negotiations on the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam (GERD), according to Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

Briefing the media today, Ministry of Foreign Affairs Spokesperson Ambassador Dina Mufti  said the negotiation that took place on August 3, 2020 among Ethiopia, Sudan and Egypt was postponed following the request of Egypt and Sudan which wanted to review the proposal presented by Ethiopia.

The meeting was attended by observers from South Africa, European Union, USA and AU Bureau of the Assembly assigned experts, it was learned.

According to Dina, Ethiopia had presented its version of the guidelines and rules on the filling of the GERD.

He revealed that the negotiations will resume once the two countries complete their review and it is expected to reconvene on Monday 10th of August 2020 as proposed by the Egyptian  delegation.

However, there are many reports on the unlikeliness of resumption of the negotiations.

The spokesperson said, “We will wait for the day and see whether they will come or not.  Ethiopia is fully committed to resuming discussions and negotiations. There is no other way  than conducting peaceful negotiations and peaceful dialogue to resolve the dispute.”

In his briefing, Ambassador Dina further stated that discussions were held with representatives of Djibouti, Sudan, Somalia, and Somaliland on current issues and issues on bilateral issues in the course of the week.

Accordingly, the land and air transport with Djibouti that was disrupted due to coronavirus pandemic is resumed, he added.

Some 218 Ethiopian migrants have returned to their home country from Sudan, Djibouti, Saudi Arabia and other countries over the past two weeks, the spokesperson said.

Meanwhile, he stated that one Ethiopian was killed and nine Ethiopians injured in the explosion in Beirut, Lebanon,  this week.

The ministry is following the situation by working closely with the Ethiopian Consulate.