Egypt has reiterated keenness to resume talks “as soon as possible" with Ethiopia and Sudan on the mega-dam Addis Ababa is building on the Blue Nile.
It called for reaching a legally binding agreement that achieves the three countries’ interests and maintains regional stability.
The dispute was sparked in 2011 when Addis Ababa began constructing the dam.
Egypt and 10 other downstream countries share the Nile basin, yet more than 85 percent of its share comes from the Blue Nile tributary in Ethiopia.
For nearly a decade, the African Union-sponsored talks between Cairo, Addis Ababa and Khartoum over the dam’s operation and filling have faltered.
According to official statements, Ethiopia prepares to celebrate the operation of its first tribune to produce 700 megawatts of electricity through the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam (GERD).
In mid-September, the UN Security Council called on the three countries to resume the AU-sponsored negotiations, stressing the need to reach a “binding agreement on the filling and operation of GERD within a reasonable timetable.
Prime Minister Mostafa Madbouly said on Tuesday that Cairo intends to reach a legally binding agreement to fill and operate the dam in a way that achieves common interests by balancing Ethiopia’s maximum possible benefit from the dam, in the field of electricity generation and sustainable development, while not causing any harm to the two downstream countries.
Cairo wants to expedite resolving the technical and legal disputed points on GERD, he wrote in a post published on his official Facebook page.
“It aims at reaching a fair and balanced agreement, while considering Egypt’s shortage in its water resources and main dependence on the Nile waters.”
Madbouly denied claims by Ethiopia that Egypt wants to prevent it from implementing development projects.
“Egypt is not against development anywhere in the Nile basin but will not accept actions taken by Ethiopia that could restrict its access to the Nile’s water ,” he stressed.
“Achieving development in all the Nile Basin countries has always been a priority for Egypt.”
Cairo seeks to reach an agreement that lays the foundations for a new phase of cooperation that would achieve regional stability.
