AU Chair visits Sudan for new mediation effort on Ethiopia's disputed dam
Khartoum, Sudan (PANA)- President Félix Antoine Tshisekedi of DR Congo arrived in Khartoum on Saturday for a one-day visit to hold discussions on African issues and bilateral relations with Sudan’s top leaders
President Tshisekedi, the current Chair of the African Union was asked by each of Ethiopia, Egypt and the Sudan to mediate an end to the current dispute over the construction of the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam (GERD) on the Blue Nile River.
Sudan and Egypt contend that the dam would undermine their water rights if no closer and legal coordination is carried out by the three parties.
A high level American official is currently in the country, also trying to mediate between the three countries. Egyptian, Sudanese and Ethiopian high level officials have already met with President Tshisekedi to explain their stand.
While the African Union was already engaged in the negotiations between the three countries since 2015, Sudan and Egypt are unhappy with the way they see Ethiopia interpreted an agreement reached in 2015.
Addis Ababa is determined to go on with the filling of the huge hydroelectricity dam, without a binding legal agreement on holding the water for electricity generation, which they argue, would affect the riparian states, mainly Sudan and Egypt.
The three countries have already started using a somewhat undiplomatic wording against each other. Egyptian President Abdul Fatah Sisi has warned that any “messing” with the Egyptian historical water right is “a red line” and that could lead the region into an unstable situation.
Ethiopia, unhappy with the Sudanese position, accused Khartoum of “serving a third party“ interests.
Sudan's Ministry for Foreign Affairs said Sudan was capable of protecting its rights if Ethiopia continues with the filling next June without a binding legal agreement.
The three countries entered into a hectic diplomatic offensive and shuttle diplomacy each sending envoys to numerous countries and briefing diplomatic representatives on the right steps they were taking and how wrong the two others were.
Former AU Chair, President Cyril Ramaphosa of South Africa, has made little progress on the issue albeit tremendous and dozens of rounds of negotiations that ended up with the three parties going on in an endless circle of experts meeting, followed by ministers gathering that ended with no statement.
-0- PANA MO/AR 8May2021
