CAIRO (AP) — The leaders of Egypt, Sudan and Ethiopia agreed late Friday to advance to talks geared in opposition to reaching an accord over the filling of Ethiopia’s recent hydroelectric dam on the Blue Nile, per statements from the three international locations.
Early Saturday, Seleshi Bekele, Ethiopia’s water and vitality minister, confirmed that the international locations had made up our minds during an African Union summit to restart stalled negotiations and finalize an settlement over the contentious mega-project inside two to a pair weeks, with lend a hand from the AU.
The announcement used to be a modest reprieve from weeks of bellicose rhetoric and escalating tensions over the $4.6 billion Good Ethiopian Renaissance Dam, which Ethiopia had vowed to originate filling before all the pieces of the rainy season in July.
Egypt and Sudan mentioned Ethiopia would chorus from filling the dam next month except the international locations reached a deal. Ethiopia did now not comment explicitly on the originate of the filling length.
Ethiopia has hinged its pattern ambitions on the massive dam, describing it as a in point of fact indispensable lifeline to bring hundreds of hundreds out of poverty.
Egypt, which relies on the Nile for bigger than 90% of its water supplies and already faces excessive water stress, fears a devastating impact on its booming population of 100 million. Sudan, which also is relying on the Nile for water, has performed a key role in bringing the 2 facets collectively after the collapse of U.S.-mediated talks in February.
Most attention-grabbing closing week, Ethiopian Foreign Minister Gedu Andargachew warned that his country may perhaps originate filling the dam’s reservoir unilaterally, after the most up-to-date round of talks with Egypt and Sudan did now not put an accord governing how the dam will likely be stuffed and operated.
After an AU video convention chaired by South Africa late Friday, Egyptian President Abdel Fattah el-Sissi mentioned that “all events” had pledged to now not resolve “any unilateral action” by filling the dam with out a final settlement, mentioned Bassam Radi, Egypt’s presidency spokesman.
Sudanese Top Minister Abdalla Hamdok also indicated the impasse between the Nile basin international locations had eased, announcing the international locations had agreed to restart negotiations through a technical committee with the purpose of finalizing a deal in two weeks. Ethiopia obtained’t ranking the dam earlier than inking the powerful-anticipated deal, Hamdok’s assertion added.
African Union Commission Chairman Moussa Faki Mahamat mentioned the international locations “agreed to an AU-led direction of to resolve prominent concerns,” with out elaborating.
Sticking formulation within the talks have been how powerful water Ethiopia will release downstream from the dam if a multi-365 days drought happens and how Ethiopia, Egypt and Sudan will unravel any future disagreements.
Every Egypt and Sudan have appealed to the U.N. Security Council to intervene within the years-lengthy dispute and support the international locations avert a crisis. The council is decided to withhold a public assembly on the affirm of affairs Monday.
Filling the dam with out an settlement may perhaps bring the stand-off to a important juncture. Every Egypt and Ethiopia have hinted at armed forces steps to offer protection to their pursuits, and consultants fear a breakdown in talks may perhaps lead to start battle.
