CAIRO — Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed's call for cooperation over the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam (GERD) has raised questions about the extent of the Ethiopian administration's seriousness in re-engaging in negotiations that would achieve regional cooperation with Egypt and Sudan, despite the fundamental differences in the countries' positions over operating and filling the dam.
On Jan. 20, Ahmed posted a statement on his Facebook account, expressing his country's interest in adopting clean energy projects in light of the hydropower potential available to Ethiopia — despite the fact that, according to him, over 53% of the population lacked access to electricity.
Ahmed further stressed the state's adherence to the reasonable and equitable exploitation of the Nile waters for the benefit of all the peoples of the riparian countries, without causing great harm.
Ahmed’s statement did not mention any road map or a clear vision of the method of cooperation in light of the stalled negotiations with Egypt and Sudan and the failure of all regional and international mediation initiatives. However, the Ethiopia official stressed that the GERD holds multiple benefits for the downstream countries (Sudan and Egypt) by regulating the changing flow of the river and reducing flooding.
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