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Hamdi Sanad Loza, Egypt’s Deputy Foreign Minister for African Affairs, met with US envoy to Sudan Donald Booth on Saturday to discuss the latest developments on the issue of the Great Ethiopian Renaissance Dam (GERD). .
The two sides also discussed ongoing efforts to relaunch negotiations to reach an agreement on the filling and operation of the huge Ethiopian dam.
The US envoy’s visit comes as part of his tour of the region that includes Egypt, Sudan, the African Union (AU), the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) and Ethiopia. During his trip, Booth intends to consult on ways to advance the negotiation process on the controversial project.
Loza emphasized the need to reach an agreement on the filling and operation of the dam as soon as possible, and before Ethiopia begins the implementation of the second phase of the filling.
This will ensure that Egypt and Sudan are not adversely affected by the filling process, particularly in relation to access to water.
He also reviewed the characteristics of the Sudanese proposal, which has the support of Egypt and calls for the formation of an international mediation quartet led by the Democratic Republic of the Congo. It also involves the US, the European Union (EU), the AU and the United Nations (UN) as mediators between the three countries in question.
Loza stressed the importance of negotiations being both effective and serious, to maximize their chances of success. This would allow the three countries involved in the negotiations, namely Egypt, Sudan and Ethiopia, to reach a fair, balanced and legally binding agreement that achieves their common interests and preserves Egypt’s rights and secures its interests in the water.
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