Egypt skeptical of Ethiopia's call to resume Nile Dam talks
Egyptian President Abdel-Fattah al-Sisi said "no one will touch Egypt's water" as Ethiopia prepares for the third filling of the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam.
CAIRO — Ethiopia’s Ambassador to the United States Seleshi Bekele recently called for a return to the negotiating table regarding outstanding issues with the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam (GERD) — an invitation that fell on deaf ears in Cairo and Khartoum at a time when Addis Ababa is preparing to complete the third filling of the dam’s reservoir during the flood season expected to start in early July.
During a June 10 meeting with US Special Envoy for the Horn of Africa Michael Hammer, Bekele — who also holds the position of the chief negotiator in the GERD talks — stressed his country’s interest in resuming the tripartite negotiations led by the African Union (AU).
Meanwhile, the Ethiopian Foreign Ministry confirmed in a June 10 statement Addis Ababa’s readiness for the third filling of the dam’s reservoir on schedule.
Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi raised the tone as he spoke recently of Ethiopia’s move to fill the dam without prior agreement with Egypt.
