Nile River dam talks resume, but still no agreement
Ethiopia, Egypt and Sudan resumed negotiations on filling Ethiopia's mega dam on Friday.
Tripartite negotiations on Ethiopia’s Nile River dam continue without progress toward an agreement. The talks follow a UN Security Council meeting last week on Ethiopia’s planned filling of the dam and opposition from Egypt and Sudan.
Ethiopia wants to fill the massive Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam (GERD) this month. The dam is on the Blue Nile River, which flows into the Nile. Ethiopia wants the project to supply the country with hydroelectric power and help alleviate poverty, while Egypt and Sudan believe that filling the dam will deplete water levels in the Nile in their countries. The river is a major part of east African economies.
The countries met last week with UN Security Council members to discuss the issue. All three remained steadfast in their positions, while other countries called for the resumption of negotiations that broke down in June.
Talks resumed on Friday following the council session. On Saturday, Egypt’s Ministry of Water Resources and Irrigation reported that “… there is no agreement between the three countries.” The states did agree to continue negotiations on Sunday, according to a ministry press release.
