Ethiopia says first year of GERD filling 'achieved', agrees with Egypt and Sudan to resume negotiations

Ethiopia said on Tuesday that its first-year target for filling the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam (GERD) has been reached, and that Egypt and Sudan have agreed to further technical discussions on outstanding issues as part of an African-led process.
In a statement following a mini-summit between the three countries, Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed said that the current rainfall and runoff situation in the region have made it "conductive" to fill the dam, and that “it has become evident over the past two weeks in the rainy season that GERD first year filling is achieved and the dam under construction is already overtopping.”
The mini-summit was hosted by South Africa President Cyril Ramaphosa, the current head of the African Union, and saw the participation of five other African heads of state as observers.
In a separate statement, Sudanese Prime Minister Abdullah Hamdok also said that the technical talks on the mega-dam would be resumed.
Egypt has not yet issued an official statement on the summit.
Earlier this month, virtual talks between the three countries failed to reach an agreement.
Egypt has voiced its concern over Ethiopia's failure to address rules regulating the filling and operation of the GERD during drought and dry years.
Cairo is also concerned about future projects on the Blue Nile, a main tributary of the Nile, and demands binding dispute settlement mechanisms, which Addis Ababa has refused to include in a deal.
Despite the repeated concerns of both Egypt and Sudan, Ethiopian officials, including Abiy, had stated that the GERD filling operation would start with or without an agreement.
Egypt, which relies on the Nile for 95 percent of its fresh water, fears the dam will significantly reduce the river’s flow, especially during the filling stages through periods of drought or dry years. Ethiopia, on the other hand, says the project is key to its development.

Source: ahramonline

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