[ad_1]
Oct 6, 2020
CAIRO – Egypt-Ethiopia relations are still strained over the Great Ethiopian Renaissance Dam (GERD), while the two countries, along with Sudan, continue to engage in lengthy negotiations that began about a decade ago. The African Union (AU) has recently tried to act as a mediator, but the talks came to a standstill on August 28.
Al-Monitor met with Ethiopia’s new ambassador to Egypt, Markos Tekle Rike, for his first press interview since presenting his credentials to Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi on September 23 to succeed Dina Mufti.
The Ethiopian diplomat spoke about his strategy to bring prospects closer and expressed Ethiopia’s vision on the GERD negotiations after the United States suspended some aid to his country amid lack of progress to reach an agreement, according to US reports.
Ethiopia had called in the Mufti and seven other ambassadors in March, amid escalating tensions between Cairo and Addis Ababa, just days after the failure of US mediation to resolve the GERD crisis. Ethiopia took five months to appoint Rike as the new ambassador.
Rike told Al-Monitor: “The former ambassador was called in May 2020 and I was appointed the same month. The appointment process normally takes three to four months. It followed normal diplomatic procedure. ”
Rike is one of Ethiopia’s most prominent diplomats, although he is only 40 years old. Most recently, he served as Minister of State for Foreign Affairs and was previously Ambassador to Japan and Director of the Ethiopian Foreign Service Training Institute. He was appointed ambassador to Cairo at a time when the two countries face the greatest challenge in their relations.
He said: “My approach is to increase the relationship between the two nations to the height it deserves. Ethiopia-Egypt relations should be much better than this. … I will help close the gaps. ”
Rike noted: “We have to go back to history. These two peoples, two nations, have a long history of relationships. … In the past we have [had] Good relations; Of course; [we had] ups and downs. But we have many opportunities, many optimistic things that could bring us together. ”
The gap between Egypt and Ethiopia widened after no agreement was reached a decade after Addis Ababa began construction of the GERD on the Blue Nile in 2011. So far, about 75% of the construction process has been completed. .
Egypt believes that GERD threatens its part of the Nile water, which originates mainly from the Blue Nile, and that this has destructive effects on its economy and its water and food resources.
Egypt, Sudan and Ethiopia came close to signing an agreement after US-mediated talks in February, held in the presence of the World Bank, but Ethiopia did not show up on signing day in Washington. Egypt signed the agreement unilaterally.
Rike declined to comment on the US role in the negotiations, but said that “the US-sponsored deal” was not in the best interest of the Ethiopian people. Therefore, Ethiopia declined [to attend] the last meeting and, of course, did not sign the agreement. “
Tensions rose between the three countries as a consequence. Egypt accused Ethiopia of “intentionally bailing out to obstruct the course of negotiations.” Sudan noted that Ethiopia wants “guidelines” rather than a legal and binding agreement for the operation and filling of the dam.
In May and June, Egypt and Sudan gave two separate speeches to the UN Security Council, asking the council to intervene to bring Ethiopia back to the negotiating table and prevent it from starting to fill the dam reservoir without arriving. to an agreement with the two. downstream countries, Egypt and Sudan.
“These negotiations [have] been happening based on the DOP [Declaration of Principles signed in Cairo in 2015]. [According to the DOP], the three countries must negotiate, discuss and establish guidelines and rules for the filling and operation of the dam, ”said Rike.
He believes the issue is more about the filling and operating mechanism, and whether that will happen through guidelines or agreement. “Ethiopia’s vision is simply to set the guidelines and rules on how to fill and operate the dam.”
However, Egypt and Sudan claim the need to reach a binding agreement that guarantees the rights and interests of the three countries, in accordance with the PDO and the principles of international law, provided that it provides an effective and binding mechanism to resolve future disputes. .
In early July, the AU intervened to break the deadlock in the negotiations and play the role of mediator. Amid African efforts, Ethiopia announced the completion of the first stage of filling the dam’s reservoir in July to pave the way for its operation. The move drew the ire of Egypt and Sudan, which they described as a “unilateral move.”
Still, the delegations of the three countries continued to negotiate under the umbrella of the AU, but hit a dead end once again on August 28 due to wide-ranging disputes over various legal and technical issues.
However, Rike said that the negotiations did not fail, adding: “All three countries can [still] negotiate and close the deal without the involvement of other parties. The AU is effectively moderating … this agreement. … We remain optimistic that we will continue the negotiations and reach an agreement ”.
Regarding the next round of negotiations, he said, “Ethiopia is ready at any moment. We are waiting for the negotiating parties to confirm the date to continue. The deadline was September 14, but the meeting has yet to take place. Sudan was [supposed to] preside over this round. We are waiting for the new president … to arrange a meeting soon. “
Foreign Policy magazine warned in an analysis published on September 28 of an attempt by Ethiopia to use the GERD as a tool for unrestricted control of the Blue Nile in order to force Egypt and Sudan to divide water quotas according to Ethiopian conditions. For that reason, the United States cut some of its aid to Ethiopia, according to the magazine.
In his speech to the United Nations General Assembly on September 25, Sisi warned of the repercussions of the failed GERD negotiations and called on “the international community to assume its constructive role by urging all parties to be flexible in negotiations to reach a satisfactory outcome agreement for all. “This was a sign that Egypt’s silence would not last long.
Ethiopia, for its part, is committed to the AU. Rike said her country firmly believes that the AU will succeed and bring the three countries closer together. If it does, this experience will remain with the AU in the future, he added.
At the same time, Rike said it is important to regain momentum in relations with Egypt. “There are many issues that can strengthen our relationships. So once our relationship is solid, it will even help smooth out our negotiations, ”she said.
Shortly after presenting his credentials, Rike paid a visit to Pope Tawadros II of the Orthodox Church on September 24.
“It was very successful and very good. … His Holiness promised that he [would] pray and wish for a peaceful resolution and a settlement of the current negotiations. We really hope it will be resolved soon as well, ”concluded Rike.
[ad_2]
