Egypt and Sudan invoke 1959 Nile deal to press Ethiopia over GERD
Egypt and Sudan issued a joint statement in Cairo on Monday demanding a binding deal on how Ethiopia runs the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam. They want the dispute limited to the three countries, with no role for other Nile Basin states.
Egypt and Sudan have restated their opposition to Ethiopia running the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam (GERD) on its own. The dam was inaugurated more than a year ago. Addis Standard, published by AllAfrica, reported that the two countries again cited historical Nile water-sharing agreements. They also demanded a legally binding framework for how the dam operates. The joint statement came on Monday. It followed the third round of their "2+2" consultation mechanism, which brought foreign and irrigation ministers together in Cairo, Egyptian local media reported. The statement called the two countries' water security "indivisible". It warned that running the dam without a binding agreement still threatens water security downstream. Cairo and Khartoum urged Ethiopia to drop what they called "unilateral policies" and return to talks based on international law. They cited the principles of avoiding significant harm, prior notification, consultation and consensus. They also rejected attempts to bring other Nile Basin countries into the dispute. They offered conditional support for development projects in the southern Nile Basin. Those projects must meet technical standards and follow notification and consultation rules. Beyond the Nile, the statement backed Sudan's unity and reconstruction and opposed parallel governing entities there. It also said Red Sea governance belongs to the countries that border the sea. Ethiopia says developing the Blue Nile is a legitimate exercise of its sovereign right to use its natural…
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