Egypt and Sudan have intensified their diplomatic efforts to resolve the dispute over the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam (GERD) on the Blue Nile.
Both countries urged the US administration and the United Nations Security Council to intervene and mediate in the dispute, warning against growing tension if Addis Ababa proceeds in its unilateral moves without a prior agreement.
Egyptian Foreign Minister Sameh Shoukry sent a letter to the Security Council urging it to persuade Ethiopia not to take any action on the dam before reaching a legally binding agreement with Egypt and Sudan.
He warned that the failure to reach consensus would harm Egypt and Sudan’s water interests and security, increase tensions throughout the region and constitute a "serious threat" to international peace and security.
Sudanese Irrigation Minister Yassed Abbas, for his part, threatened to refer the disputed issue to the Security Council in case Addis Ababa moves forward with the second filling.
Egypt’s Ambassador to Washington Motaz Zahran stressed that only Washington can save the GERD negotiations now.
“With Ethiopia edging closer to unilaterally filling the dam’s reservoir for a second time—and thus crossing the “red line” set by Egyptian President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi—it may be up to the US to help broker a peaceful solution and prevent unrest in the region,” Zahran wrote in an article published in the Foreign Affairs Magazine.
“The US has the leverage needed to successfully encourage Ethiopia to engage in good faith in the GERD negotiations and to refrain from unilateral actions and the pursuit of narrow self-interests, which have been detrimental to its neighbors’ legitimate interests.”
Soliciting expertise from international partners, including the UN, the European Union, and the United States, in support of the African Union-led mediation process would be invaluable in bringing the negotiations to fruition as soon as possible, he added.
Through principled diplomacy, Joe Biden’s administration can reset the faltering negotiations and bring about an equitable solution for all parties, he stressed, noting that in doing so, it will ultimately safeguard its strategic interests with three major regional allies.
These developments come in light of Shoukry’s recent African tour where he visited Kenya, Comoros, South Africa, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Senegal, Niger and Tunisia.
During his visits, Shoukry delivered letters from Sisi on Egypt’s stance from the GERD dispute.
Earlier this month, talks hosted in Kinshasa ended with no progress.
