Ethiopia Urges UNSC to Encourage Egypt, Sudan Engage in AU-Led GERD Negotiations

Addis Ababa, July 1/2021(ENA) Ethiopia has rejected the position of Egypt and Sudan in bringing the issue of the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam (GERD) to the United Nations Security Council (UNSC) and called on the council to encourage the countries to engage in the AU-Led GERD negotiations, according to Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

In his biweekly press briefing today, Foreign Affairs Spokesperson Dina Mufiti reaffirmed Ethiopia's unwavering position on the AU-led negotiations on GERD.

“Ethiopia has sent letter to the United Nations Security Council (UNSC) rejecting the position of both Egypt and Sudan which refers to the appeal of these countries to bring the issue to the UNSC,” he stated.  

As the dam is fundamentally a developmental project but not a security issue, the UN Security Council has to refuse the appeal and reject their misleading efforts in this regard, the spokesperson underlined.

Noting that Ethiopia is determined to solve the dam dispute and strengthen the tripartite negotiations within the platform of the African Union, Dina urged the security council to encourage the countries to seriously engage in the endeavor.

“Ethiopia has expressed its commitment to the African Union and it has also asked the UN Security Council to urge both Egypt and Sudan to support the African Union-led negotiation.”

Asked about the decision made by the Government of Ethiopia to declare unilateral ceasefire in Tigray region, the spokesperson stated that several countries and organizations that were skeptical  at the beginning are now showing positive gesture towards the government.

There are now positive international reactions about the ceasefire, according to Dina who added that the African Union (AU) and United Nations (UN) and countries including USA, China, Russia, UAE, Sweden, among others, have issued statement appreciating the unilateral ceasefire.