Mutual Trust Pivotal for Successful Tripartite Negotiation on GERD: Media Analysts

Addis Ababa, November 13, 2021 (ENA) Media analysts stressed the need for genuine shared trust among Ethiopia, Egypt and Sudan in order to successfully settle ongoing tripartite negotiation on the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam (GERD).

It is to be recalled that Ethiopia is constructing the dam on the Abay River to generate electricity which is vital to alleviating poverty by expediting its development activities.

However, the riparian countries have been expressing concern that they would be affected due to the dam which is currently in the final phase of construction.

It’s been almost ten years now since the three countries begun negotiating to address the concerns being raised by the riparian countries particularly Egypt.    

Though a number of issues have been settled during the negotiations, there are still few concerns that should be resolved.  

However, Egypt and Sudan are also pushing the involvement of the international community in the ongoing negotiation to put pressure on Ethiopia for a binding agreement.

In an exclusive interview with ENA, author and journalist Anwar Ibrahim and media analyst Haly Yahya stressed the need for mutual trust among the three countries in order to arrive at a successful agreement that could equally benefit all of the parties.

Anwar said the negotiation has been stalled for years particularly due to avoidable doubts being raised particularly by Egypt.   

Ethiopia has repeatedly stressed that the GERD will not harm any of the countries, Anwar pointed out indicating that the dam didn’t bring any negative impact on any of the downstream countries even after the completion of the first and second filling.

“It is important to note the fact that mutual trust and a genuine shared attitude towards the rightful use of common natural resources is critically vital for the three countries to successfully settle their dispute over the dam,” he explained.  

A Sudanese media analyst, Hali Yahya, for his part explained the need for real political commitment and tolerance from the three countries in a bid to reach agreeable arrangement by all parties on the GERD.

In order to help the three nations agree on their differences, the main actor should be the African Union, he said adding that the role of other members of the international community should be limited just to support AU’s efforts.

“The attempts to internationalize and politicize the issue by engaging the United Nations Security Council and the intervention made by the Arab League in the matter will not lead to solutions,” the analyst underlined.

Ethiopia has been repeatedly emphasizing that the dam will not harm any of the countries as it is for electric generation which doesn’t affect the flow of water to downstream.

Water experts confirmed that Sudan will benefit from the construction of the dam to boost agriculture in addition to preventing recurrent flood that is affecting many Sudanese every year, Hali added.

The media experts stressed the need to expedite the negotiation in order to achieve the social and economic goal of the GERD for the benefit of only Ethiopia but also all the peoples of the Horn of Africa.

The completion of the dam will have economic benefits, especially for neighboring countries, not only in electricity supply and earning but also in strengthening economic relations and cooperation with the countries, water experts indicate.