Sunday, September 24, 2023
PoliticsAU Chair proposes trio deal with first filling of GERD first

AU Chair proposes trio deal with first filling of GERD first

The current chairman of the African Union (AU), President Felix Tshisekedi, submitted a new proposal to the leaders of Ethiopia, Egypt and Sudan inviting them to primarily agree on the first filling of the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam (GERD), The Reporter has learnt.

President of the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), Felix Tshisekedi, recently visited the three countries with a mission to revive the stalled negotiations over the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam (GERD).

During his visit, Tshisekedi separately met his counterparts in the three countries and discussed his initiative.

During the visits in the three countries, he proposed to the respective leaders to start fresh negotiations focusing on reaching an agreement on the first filling of the GERD, Gedion Asfaw, member of the Ethiopian negotiating team told The Reporter.

According to him, the new initiative proposed by the DRC President corresponds to Ethiopia’s position, which has been communicated repeatedly to the two downstream countries.

- Advertisement -

However, there are media reports that confuse the new proposal with the second round filling which will be held in the coming rainy season.

According to Gedion, the first filling has three stages including the 4.9 BMC retained last year.

The second round of the first filling will be conducted in the coming July or August and when completed, the GERD will retain additional 13.4BMC of water this year. And the third stage of the first filling process will continue in the coming years and will allow the dam to be filled up to 625 meters above sea level.

“We have not heard official responses from Egypt and Sudan yet, but there are positive signs from the Egyptian side,” Gedion said referring to the recent statement made by the Egyptian Foreign Minister.

In an interview with an Egyptian talk show host, Foreign Minister Sameh Shoukry said the second round filling of the GERD which will be conducted in the coming few months would not adversely affect water supplies to Egypt.

The Foreign Minister assured the Egyptian public that the government has carefully prepared for this and stocked enough water at the Aswan High Dam.

“We are confident the second round filling of the dam by Ethiopia won’t affect Egyptian water interests adversely. We can deal with it through strict management of our water resources,” Shoukry said.

- Advertisement -

Subscribe

Popular

More like this
Related

Tigray officials demand redesigned transitional justice model

Officials at the Tigray Interim Administration (TIA) reject the...

Controversial property tax proposes selective exemptions

Controversial property tax draft exempts religious institutions and small residences, with eligibility determined by the Finance Ministry based on services rendered. Stakeholders will gather on September 25 to deliberate upon the implications of the draft proclamation.

Yayu Fertilizer transferring reaches 85% after years of delay

Transferring of the long-stalled Yayu fertilizer project, originally awarded to MetEC, has finally made progress, reaching 85% completion. Despite challenges, the transfer to the Chemical Industry Corporation (CIC) is underway. However, the retrieval of 25 containers and compensation for displaced farmers remain unresolved issues, demanding prompt attention.

Nigeria’s leadership transition stalls Ethiopian airlines’ ambitious partnership

With a proven track record of successful collaborations across the continent, Ethiopian Airlines Group eagerly awaits the nod from Nigeria's new government to advance its partnership with Nigerian Air, demonstrating its unwavering commitment to uplifting Africa's aviation sector.