The Prime Minister of Sudan and Egypt have expressed optimism after talks in the Sudanese capital that halted negotiations with Ethiopia over the construction of a controversial giant dam on the Blue Nile would bear fruit.
The Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam, built about 15 km (9 miles) from Ethiopia’s border with Sudan, has become a major source of disagreement between the three countries. Downstream Egypt and Sudan consider the multi-billion dollar dam as a threat to vital water supply, while Ethiopia considers its flagship infrastructure project crucial for its electrification and development.
Talks between the three countries were halted last week after the Ethiopian government insisted on joining them in negotiating a deal for parts of the Blue Nile waters.
On Saturday, Egyptian Prime Minister Mostafa Madbouli made his first official visit to Sudan since the formation of a transitional government in Khartoum last year following the overthrow of years-long President Omar al-Bashir.
Following talks with Sudanese Prime Minister Abdallah Hamdok in Khartoum, a joint statement was issued saying that “negotiations are the only way to solve the dam’s problems”.
The two prime ministers said they were “optimistic about the outcome of the negotiations” held under the auspices of the African Union (AU), according to the statement.
“It is important to reach an agreement that guarantees the rights and interests of all three nations,” it said, adding that there is a “mechanism to resolve [future] disputes “should be part of every deal.
Earlier this month, Egypt’s water ministry said Addis Ababa had submitted a draft proposal that did not have a legal mechanism for disputing disputes.
South Africa, which holds the presidency of the AU and mediates negotiations, has urged the three countries to “stay involved” in the talks.
In early June, Ethiopia refused a meeting of the United Nations Security Council, requested by Egypt, which said the 15-member body should not be involved in the dispute, adding that it should be resolved at the regional level.
Nearly a decade of torture negotiations have failed to reach an agreement to regulate how Ethiopia will fill the reservoir and operate the hydroelectric dam while protecting Egypt’s scarce water supply.
The Blue Nile is a tributary of the Nile River, of which 100 million Egyptians receive about 90 percent of their fresh water.
Last month, Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed said his country had already reached its first-year target for filling the reservoir, thanks to a heavy rainy season.
Madbouli was escorted to Khartoum by a delegation including Egypt’s ministers of water and irrigation, electricity, health, and trade and industry.
During his visit, Madbouli is also expected to meet with General Abdel Fattah al-Burhan, head of the ruling Sudanese Council of Sudan, and Mohamed Hamdan Dagalo (Hemeti), deputy chief and military general.
Hamdok’s bureau said the effort was aimed at improving cooperation between the two neighboring countries.
SOURCE:
Al Jazeera and news agencies
.
