Sudan forwards letter to Security Council over GERD for two reasons: FM

Addis Ababa, June 12, 2020 (FBC) –Sudanese Minister for Foreign Affairs, Assma Mohammad, spoke about the letter that his country had submitted to the UN Security Council regarding GERD.

Sudan forwarded its letter to the Security Council for two reasons, he said during a live discussion held on Saturday, June 6 2020 on Sudan Television regarding the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam (GERD).

Dr. Yasser Abbas, Minister for Water and Dr. Ibrahim Al Amin, Vice President of the National Umma Party also took part in the discussion.

Below is the verbatim transcription and translation of the discussions by the Ethiopia Embassy in Khartoum, Sudan.

Mrs. Assma Mohamed: Ethiopia submitted a letter to the Security Council to point out its attitude, saying that it is open ready for the negotiations.

Sudan forwarded its letter to the Security Council for two reasons. The first reason is to explain its attitude that it is an original partner in the dam issue and in the negotiations because there is much talk about Sudan being (only) a mediator between Egypt and Ethiopia, while it is not.

Sudan is an original partner in the dam issue and has an interest towards this issue.

Sudan explained this attitude during the negotiations. Such a major project as the renaissance dam, which is being constructed 20kms away from the Sudanese border, would definitely affect Sudan. So Sudan should have an attitude (interest) towards this project. And such a huge dam as this venture would definitely have its own benefits and sources of concern. Sudan was very keen to explain, during the negotiations, that there are benefits for its people such as the regular flow of water, there would be no floods to drown the Sudanese lands and Sudan’s share of the Nile water would be preserved.

These are (only) some benefits of the dam, but some concerns revolve around the necessary completion of all environmental studies to secure the Dam safety. This was Sudan’s attitude.

Being one of the three states, Sudan is definitely concerned to reach an agreement between the three parties on this issue. According to the UN charter of water use principles and along the lines of the agreement on the declaration of principles, there should first be a fair and equitable use of the water.

Another point is that no damage should be done to any of the three states. A third point is that there should be an exchange of information between the three parties. Fourthly a peaceful solution must be found for the differences.

These principles are enshrined either in the international law or in the declaration of principles agreement signed between the three states in March, 2015. According to this, Sudan deems it necessary to resume these negotiations.

So, Sudan actually undertook the initiative of the necessary resumption of the point of where they had once stopped to avoid starting them from the beginning. So, the (Sudanese) prime Minister contacted his Egyptian and Ethiopian counterparts. Actually, the initiative was welcomed by the two sides.

So, the technical committee was requested to make the necessary preparations to resume the technical negotiations.

This attitude springs from Sudan’s concern that the present problems have no solutions except through the resumption of the negotiations. That is to say, even if Ethiopia is talking about the filling of the dam in July, this must be accomplished through an agreement between the three states. From this came Sudan’s initiative to resume the negotiations.

Presenter asking irrigation Minister how is the resumption of the negotiations going to develop? Do you think the meetings will come out with tangible results?

Dr. Yasser Abbas: I believe that Sudan is an original partner in the renaissance dam issue because it is affected by this project more than Ethiopia and Egypt. That is because that renaissance dam is located about 15 Kilometers away from the Sudanese border.

But, more important is that the dam lies 100 kilometers away from Rossini’s Dam. The storage Capacity of the Renaissance Dam is ten times greater than that of Rosaries Dam. So, reaching an agreement on the renaissance Dam before filling its lake is necessary for Sudan.

This was Sudan’s first request in its address to the Security Council. This has been Sudan’s first attitude since 2011 and 2013 when it said that Ethiopia has the right to achieve development for its people. Sudan supported this attitude according to the principles of the international law regarding the right of riparian states to benefit from their water resources and develop them, but without causing significant damage to other states.

Sudan’s attitude was supportive of these two points which are evident in its adherence to the principles of the international law and its belief that the benefits of the dam outweigh its damages.

But, during the whole period of the negotiations, Sudan has been voicing (its) assurance that these benefits can be attained without upsetting the benefits of Egypt or Ethiopia by coming to an agreement on the principles of first filling and the principles of operation.

This is because you cannot operate Sinnar Dam when you have no information about the operation of Rosaries Dam. (Here the minister of irrigation explained that he had been working as an operating engineer at Sinnar Dam site in the middle of the 1980s. He also said Sinnar Dam is located 240 kilometers away from Rosaries Dam)
So, he continued, the operation of Rosaries Dam depends entirely on the operation of the Renaissance Dam. From this came Sudan’s insistence to sign the agreement before starting the Dam filling process. This is a basic point for Sudan.

During the whole period of the negotiations, Sudan’s benefits do not mean damaging Egypt’s or Ethiopia’s interests. The matter is a win-win situation. That is to say, Ethiopia can generate electricity and Sudan can operate its dams smoothly and benefit from the organized flow of the water. The essence of the issue revolves around regional co-operation. In this way the renaissance dam can be an initiative of regional co-operation in which all parties can benefit.

Ethiopia can produce electricity worth of $ 900 million annually while Egypt and Sudan can purchase cheap electricity (from Ethiopia). The organized flow of water can help Sudan to benefit from its unused share of the Nile water. Sudan can also produce food and sell it at a preferential price to Ethiopia and Egypt other river-basin states around the world could build joint co-operation on the basis of these benefits

(Presenter to Foreign Minister) Sudan’s positive role in the resumption of the negotiations portrays it as a mediator rather than an original partner. How is Sudan going to protect its interests?

Mrs. Assma Mohammad speaking again till now, Sudan is calling for negotiations. There is no other way except through negotiation. I believe that if Ethiopia is faced by a strong (or firm) attitude from Sudan and Egypt not to fill the Dam except after reaching an agreement, it may think twice about the matter.

We know very well that Ethiopia has the right to build dams inside its territories and produce electricity for the benefit of its people, but international laws and charters must be observed and respected. The agreement which was signed between the three states on the declaration of principles must also be observed so; a question remains, if Ethiopia did not respond to that call, what would be the next scenario?
We don’t want to reach this conclusion.

Presenter to Irrigation Minister– The renaissance Dam should not be filled except after reaching an agreement (between the three parties). Is this attitude adopted by both Sudan and Egypt?

Dr. Yasser Abbas speaking again: – Sudan is often accused of sometimes favoring Ethiopia and other times backing Egypt. But in fact, Sudan is always catering for its interests who sometimes go with Ethiopia and other times go with Egypt.

Signing an agreement before the filling of the dam remains a condition for Sudan to enable it to operate Rosaries Dam which has a 10% storage capacity of the renaissance Dam. The international law allows Sudan the right to stipulate coming to an agreement before starting the filling process of the dam.

The previous negotiations enabled the parties to reach this advanced stage (90% of the main points settled) what quickened the progress of the negotiations is that the renaissance dam has been designed in a way that facilitates its gradual construction and filling.

This gradual process of the dam construction and filling will help Ethiopia to generate electricity without losing much time and will also enable Sudan and Egypt to avoid the unwelcome impact of water reduction. Another main point is that the high dam has a storage capacity of 167 billion cubic metric (more than double the capacity of the GERD. This capacity will absorb the changes in the storage process.

Presenter to Foreign Minister: Do you believe that the Transitional Government in Sudan is receiving support from politicians to settle the water issue?

Mrs. Assma Mohammad: Social media reveals a lot of misunderstanding of the renaissance dam issue, especially in technical aspects. Some people talk randomly about the GERD safety others also called on Sudan to stop these negotiations and come out with a completely different view.

Presenter to Irrigation Minister: What are Sudan’s guarantees concerning the GERD safety now that Ethiopia has not submitted all the technical studies regarding that point? Don’t you believe that Sudan should participate in all matters concerning the dam safety?

Dr. Yasser Abbas speaking again: – Regarding the dam safety, this question is widely circulated. People erroneously believed that the GERD collapse will destroy Sudan Dams. This belief was based on the first GERD design, but Sudan exerted efforts in the adjustment of this design to enhance the dam safety. Ethiopia was praised for the execution of the required adjustments to increase the safety of the dam.

The degree of the renaissance dam safety exceeds that of more we dam, Rosaries Dam and even the High Dam. So, talking about the renaissance Dam safety must be within its right or reasonable context.

The degree of the GERD safety is higher than other dams because of its rocky foundations and the more advanced level of technology adopted in its construction. The three states accepted all points introduced by Sudan during the 12 and 13 February meetings.

Presenter to Foreign Minister: Do you believe that it is necessary to hold meetings in Washington again now that essential issues on the development of water resources (in Sudan) and details of GERD filling still remain to be settled?

Mrs. Assma Mohammad: the U.S and the World Bank kept following the renaissance dam negotiation
Presenter to Irrigation Minister: – There is much talk about the development of water resources in Sudan. Does your ministry have any serious and ambitious plans to cater for that?

Dr. Yasser Abbas: As regards the development of water resources in Sudan, we hope, during the coming period, to implement water harvesting projects we also hope to provide finance for small-sized water harvest projects.

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