Renaissance Dam talks resume after Sudanese blockage

Sudan's Minister of Irrigation and Water Resources (R) and Minister for Foreign Affairs are pictured during a video conference meeting with their Egyptian and Ethopian counterparts in Khartoum on January 10, 2020. (AFP)

Sudan's Minister of Irrigation and Water Resources and Minister for Foreign Affairs are pictured during a video conference meeting with their Egyptian and Ethopian counterparts in Khartoum on January 10, 2020. (AFP)

Sudan's Minister of Irrigation and Water Resources Yasser Abbas (L) and Minister for Foreign Affairs are pictured during a video conference meeting with their Egyptian and Ethopian counterparts in Khartoum on January 10, 2020. (AFP)

• The Sudanese delegation said it demanded a comprehensive agreement that addresses all issues related to the dam
• It also said that the AU should play a more effective leadership role in the negotiation

CAIRO: Negotiations between Egypt, Sudan and Ethiopia on the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam (GERD) resumed on Sunday to discuss disagreements regarding the rules for filling and operating the dam.
The six-day meeting of the Ministers of Foreign Affairs and Irrigation of the three countries will follow up on the outcomes of the last meeting headed by South Africa — current president of the African Union (AU) — with observers and experts in the AU Commission.
The Sudanese delegation said it demanded a comprehensive agreement that addresses all issues related to the dam.
It also said that the AU should play a more effective leadership role in the negotiation.
Sudan’s statement raised concerns about the recurrence of defects of single fillings in many sectors that have been directly affected, such as the breakdown of drinking water stations in the Sudanese capital, Khartoum.
Ministers from Egypt, Ethiopia and Sudan discussed the GERD on a Jan. 3 meeting headed by South Africa. They agreed to extend the negotiations for one week, provided that another six-party ministerial meeting will be held.
Ethiopia sent an invitation to hold a meeting on Jan. 4, in which the ministers, technical and legal delegations from Egypt and Ethiopia, and observers and experts appointed by the AU Commission took part. 
Sudan did not participate in the meeting and accordingly it was terminated.
Future steps were set to be discussed during the six-party meeting on Sunday to consider the outcomes of the tripartite negotiation round.
Egyptian Minister of Irrigation Mohamed Abdel Aty met with the US Secretary of the Treasury Steven Mnuchin last week to review negotiations on the GERD and Egypt’s desire to complete the negotiations.
They also discussed Egypt’s wish to preserve its water rights and to reach a fair and binding legal agreement that meets the aspirations of all three countries.