CAIRO: Only talks between Ethiopia, Egypt and Sudan can resolve the conflict between the three countries over the dam being built on the Nile, and a solution is “within reach” under the auspices of the African Union, the UAE government stated on Tuesday.
The Gulf country’s permanent mission to the UN, in a statement, said that the key framework for the negotiations will continue to be the 2015 Declaration of Principles on the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam.
“The United Arab Emirates believes that a successful conclusion of negotiations on the GERD is within reach and recognizes the great opportunity it presents to enhance and accelerate regional integration, while bolstering cooperation and sustainable development in the region and beyond in the spirit of ‘African solutions to African challenges,’” according to the statement posted on the mission’s website.
“In this context, the UAE underscores the essential role of the African Union, welcomes the commitment of the three countries to the AU-led negotiations, and encourages them to continue negotiating in good faith.”
The GERD has raised tensions between Ethiopia on one hand and Egypt and Sudan on the other.
The latter two countries are demanding a legally binding agreement on the filling and operation of the dam, which they fear will reduce their share of the Nile’s waters.
In a step to resolve the dispute, the leaders of the three countries signed a declaration of principles in March 2015 in Khartoum. They have committed themselves to 10 principles as outlined in the document.
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