Cairo Holds Addis Ababa Responsible for Failure of GERD Talks

Egyptian Foreign Minister Sameh Shoukry participated on Sunday in the joint consultative meeting with GCC foreign ministers in Riyadh (Egyptian Foreign Ministry)
Egyptian Foreign Minister Sameh Shoukry participated on Sunday in the joint consultative meeting with GCC foreign ministers in Riyadh (Egyptian Foreign Ministry)
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Cairo Holds Addis Ababa Responsible for Failure of GERD Talks

Egyptian Foreign Minister Sameh Shoukry participated on Sunday in the joint consultative meeting with GCC foreign ministers in Riyadh (Egyptian Foreign Ministry)
Egyptian Foreign Minister Sameh Shoukry participated on Sunday in the joint consultative meeting with GCC foreign ministers in Riyadh (Egyptian Foreign Ministry)

The dispute over Ethiopia’s Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam (GERD) returned Sunday to the frontline after Cairo held Addis Ababa responsible for the failure of the latest round of talks to reach an agreement on the operation of the dam.

Cairo’s position was backed by Gulf countries, which refused any action that infringes upon the rights of Egypt and Sudan in the Nile waters.

An Egyptian Foreign Ministry statement said Minister Sameh Shoukry briefed on Sunday his counterparts in the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries on developments regarding GERD.

This came during Shoukry’s participation in the joint consultative meeting with GCC foreign ministers in the Saudi capital Riyadh.

Foreign Ministry Official Spokesperson Ahmed Abu Zeid said Shoukry spoke with GCC countries on Ethiopia’s s uncompromising approach that disregards principles of good neighborliness, leading Egypt to suspend its participation in the negotiations.

Last December, Egypt announced the failure of a round of negotiations on GERD. The talks - held between Egypt, Sudan, and Ethiopia - were previously launched within the framework of the three countries’ agreement to accelerate the completion of the agreement on the rules for filling and operating the dam within four months.

At the time, Egypt’s Ministry of Irrigation said in a statement that the meeting held in Addis Ababa “did not yield any results due to Ethiopia's persistent refusal to accept any of the technical or legal compromise solutions that would safeguard the interests of all three countries.”

GERD has been under construction since 2011 on the Blue Nile, the main tributary of the Nile water.

During Sunday’s meeting in Riyadh, Secretary-General of the GCC Jassim Al-Bedaiwi affirmed that the water security of Egypt and Sudan is an integral part of Arab national security, expressing the Gulf countries' rejection of any action that infringes upon the rights of both countries in the Nile waters.

Dr. Amani El Taweel, director of the African Program at the Center for Al-Ahram Political and Strategic Studies, says the GCC support for Egypt will have a significant impact on the GERD negotiations.

She told Asharq Al-Awsat that the GCC rejection of any action that infringes upon the rights of Egypt in the Nile waters is a political message with implications on the Ethiopian administration.

She noted that Gulf countries have a political influence on Addis Ababa where they have large investments.



KSrelief Launches Project to Protect Women Affected by Gender-Based Violence in Yemen

The project will directly benefit 18,000 displaced women and violence survivors, as well as 325 frontline workers in safe spaces and protection centers - SPA
The project will directly benefit 18,000 displaced women and violence survivors, as well as 325 frontline workers in safe spaces and protection centers - SPA
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KSrelief Launches Project to Protect Women Affected by Gender-Based Violence in Yemen

The project will directly benefit 18,000 displaced women and violence survivors, as well as 325 frontline workers in safe spaces and protection centers - SPA
The project will directly benefit 18,000 displaced women and violence survivors, as well as 325 frontline workers in safe spaces and protection centers - SPA

The King Salman Humanitarian Aid and Relief Center (KSrelief) launched a project to protect and empower women affected by gender-based violence in the Aden and Taiz governorates of Yemen.

The project is being implemented in cooperation with the United Nations Entity for Gender Equality and the Empowerment of Women (UN Women) and the Yemeni Ministry of Social Affairs and Labor.
According to SPA, over 12 months, the project will directly benefit 18,000 displaced women and violence survivors, as well as 325 frontline workers in safe spaces and protection centers. It seeks an indirect impact on around 126,000 individuals.
The project aims to improve the protection of women and girls, build the skills of workers in managing violence cases, expand psychosocial and legal support services, and raise community awareness through women's rights education campaigns.
UN Women Yemen representative Dina Zorba thanked Saudi Arabia, through KSrelief, for its generous support and humanitarian vision prioritizing women's empowerment. She emphasized that the project goes beyond protection services, representing an integrated approach to restoring dignity, enhancing resilience, and empowering women as active partners in peacebuilding and recovery.
The initiative is part of Saudi Arabia's ongoing efforts, through KSrelief, to empower women in Yemen and strengthen their positive role in society.