Technical Meeting on GERD to Start after Few Days

Addis Ababa October 28/2020 (ENA) Ethiopia, Egypt and Sudan have reached an agreement on the resumption of the tripartite negotiation to discuss and finalize in the coming seven days.

The virtual negotiation among the Ministers of Foreign Affairs and Water Affairs of  the three countries over the filling and operation of the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam commenced on Tuesday.

The meeting is convened by the Minister of International Relations and Cooperation of the South Africa and Chairperson of AU Executive Council, on a letter addressed to the three countries on October 21, 2020.

The ministers deliberated on the resumption of the tripartite negotiation on the Great Ethiopian Renaissance Dam (GERD) within the AU framework.

Agreement is also reached to resume the tripartite negotiation as per the understanding reached following the consultation of President of South Africa, Cyril Ramaphosa and Chairperson of the AU with the heads of states and governments of the three countries in mid-October.

Accordingly, the countries are expected to discuss and finalize in the coming seven days, the way forward and the workable timeline for the negotiation, to narrow gaps on outstanding issues.

They also agreed to report the results achieved to the Ministers of Foreign Affairs and Ministers of Water Affairs of the three countries at their next meeting.

The next technical meeting is expected to be held in the coming few days under the chairmanship of the Minister of Water Affairs of Sudan.