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UK Becomes Indirectly Involved in GERD Crisis

The Ethiopian flag is seen at the GERD in Guba, Ethiopia, February 19, 2022. (AFP)
The Ethiopian flag is seen at the GERD in Guba, Ethiopia, February 19, 2022. (AFP)
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UK Becomes Indirectly Involved in GERD Crisis

The Ethiopian flag is seen at the GERD in Guba, Ethiopia, February 19, 2022. (AFP)
The Ethiopian flag is seen at the GERD in Guba, Ethiopia, February 19, 2022. (AFP)

The UK has become involved in the conflict between Egypt, Sudan, and Ethiopia over the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam (GERD), but it is preferring to play an "indirect" role by encouraging the three countries to reach a suitable solution

British ambassador to Cairo Gareth Bayley said: "Britain is participating behind the scenes and encouraging Egypt, Ethiopia, and Sudan, behind the scenes to reach an appropriate solution."

Addis Ababa began building the dam on the main tributary of the Nile in 2011, completing 80 percent of the construction.

Cairo and Khartoum demand that Addis Ababa refrain from taking any unilateral measures concerning filling or operating the dam before concluding a binding legal agreement.

Bailey told Egypt's TEN channel that the Nile is essential for Egypt, despite the potential for desalination plants.

"We see that many partners are encouraging the parties to reach an appropriate solution, and we see several partners who are willing to get involved in the matter. We do not want to complicate the matter by adding our voice as an official voice on the issue," Bayley said.

He announced that the UK is involved from behind the scenes and encourages Egypt, Ethiopia, and Sudan to reach an appropriate solution, and "if there is an official request for us to add our efforts and encourage countries to reach a solution, surely we will think of it."

The last negotiation between the three countries was about a year ago, under the auspices of the African Union, after which Egypt, Sudan, and Ethiopia announced their failure to make a breakthrough.

Egypt and Sudan then resorted to the UN Security Council, which issued a "presidential resolution" in mid-September, encouraging the three countries to resume negotiations under the auspices of the AU and reach a binding agreement within a reasonable time. However, its decision has remained without activation so far.

Bayley said the British government fully understands the importance of the GERD issue to Egypt and, therefore, it backed bringing the matter before the United Nations Security Council (UNSC) last year.

Meanwhile, the Ministry of Water Resources and Irrigation in Egypt developed a new mobile application to manage water resources, irrigate lands, monitor encroachments on the Nile, and several other uses.

Water Minister Mohamed Abdel-Aty stated that the ministry had implemented many of the works required to monitor and control water resources from 254 locations.

The minister explained that this would enable the ministry to make the necessary decisions towards achieving rational management of water resources, meeting all the different sectors' water needs, and executing economic and social development plans.

Abdel-Aty continued that work has been done to ensure the continuity and efficiency of monitoring, operation, and network maintenance of the real-time monitoring network by mobile communications, consisting of more than 200 field locations among irrigation departments in the country.

He stressed optimal utilization of the system's outputs from the administrations by designing databases and providing these data periodically.

The reports are shared with decision-makers in the ministry through multiple accounts and mechanisms, including e-mail and SMS text messages.

He pointed out that these reports enable accurate follow-up of the water distribution system and its uses, allowing the officials to make appropriate decisions at the right time.

Satellite images are also used to determine the nature of land uses around the main course of the Nile and its two branches, and to monitor the encroachments, said the minister.

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Lavrov: Moscow Maintains Communication with Damascus, Will Not Withdraw from the Region

Syrian forces stop a car at a checkpoint after taking control of the port of Tartus earlier this month. (AFP)
Syrian forces stop a car at a checkpoint after taking control of the port of Tartus earlier this month. (AFP)
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Lavrov: Moscow Maintains Communication with Damascus, Will Not Withdraw from the Region

Syrian forces stop a car at a checkpoint after taking control of the port of Tartus earlier this month. (AFP)
Syrian forces stop a car at a checkpoint after taking control of the port of Tartus earlier this month. (AFP)

Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov reaffirmed Russia’s commitment to the Middle East, stating that Moscow “has not and will not withdraw from the region.” He emphasized ongoing communication with Syria’s new leadership and expressed readiness to support the political process in the country.

Speaking at a press conference in Moscow on Tuesday, Lavrov attributed Syria’s deteriorating situation to the previous regime, blaming its unwillingness to implement reforms and share power with the opposition.

“The refusal of the former Syrian regime to make any changes or share power with the opposition was one of the primary reasons for its collapse,” he said.

Lavrov noted that over the past decade, since President Bashar al-Assad requested Russian intervention in the Syrian war and the launch of the Astana peace process, Damascus had delayed advancing the political path.

“Despite support from Arab nations, Syrian authorities showed reluctance to move forward politically and sought to maintain the status quo,” he explained.

He highlighted Russia’s repeated calls for the Syrian government to engage with the Constitutional Committee, established during the 2018 Syrian National Dialogue Congress in Sochi, and to actively work on drafting a new constitution.

Lavrov also pointed to economic challenges exacerbated by sanctions, which have stifled Syria’s economy, and US control over oil-rich eastern regions. Resources were exploited to fuel separatist ambitions in northeastern Syria, he remarked.

Moreover, the FM revealed details of Moscow’s earlier discussions with Kurdish groups, reiterating his country’s position that Kurdish rights should be guaranteed within the constitutional frameworks of Syria, Iraq, Iran and Türkiye.

He argued that the previous Syrian regime’s reluctance to engage in political dialogue resulted in stalled reforms proposed by the United Nations, Moscow and Cairo platforms, and Istanbul-based opposition groups. This inaction, he said, created a vacuum that ultimately led to the collapse.

Furthermore, he dismissed claims that his country’s withdrawal from Syria would signal its departure from the Middle East.

“Russia has not and will not leave the region,” he declared. Without directly addressing the status of Russian military bases in Syria, Lavrov emphasized: “Our embassy never left Damascus, and we maintain ongoing communication with the authorities.”

He also stressed Russia’s willingness to facilitate inclusive dialogue involving all national, political and sectarian factions, as well as relevant international stakeholders. Lavrov underscored that recent discussions with Türkiye, Gulf nations, and other parties demonstrated widespread agreement that Russia and Iran must be involved in the Syrian peace process if sustainable results are to be achieved.

For his part, Mikhail Bogdanov, Russia’s Deputy Foreign Minister and Special Presidential Envoy to the Middle East and Africa, reaffirmed Russia’s focus on developments in Syria, describing relations with Damascus as a “priority of Russian foreign policy.”

Reports on Tuesday suggested that Bogdanov might soon lead a Russian delegation to Damascus. However, a Russian diplomatic source informed Asharq Al-Awsat that no date for the visit has been confirmed. The visit, which was reportedly postponed, would mark the first by a senior Russian official to Damascus since the fall of Assad’s regime in December.

Meanwhile, media reports indicated that Moscow is facing logistical challenges in withdrawing military equipment from Syria, due to restrictions imposed by Syrian authorities on the movement of Russian ships in territorial waters.

According to the English-language edition of RT, the Russian ship Sparta 2, designated to transport military equipment and weapons, was denied entry to the Port of Tartus, where Russia maintains its only overseas naval base.