Meeting on GERD achieved breakthrough: Ministry

Addis Ababa, January 17, 2020 (FBC) –The Washington meeting which was held on January 13-15, 2020 between Ethiopia, Sudan and Egypt regarding GERD achieved a major breakthrough, said the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

The meeting was held in the presence of Ministers of Foreign Affairs and Water Resources of Ethiopia, Sudan and Egypt, with the US Secretary of the Treasury and President of the World Bank, participating as observers.

Gedu Andargachew, Ethiopia’s Minister of Foreign Affairs and Dr Seleshi Bekele, Minister of Water, Irrigation and Energy gave yesterday a press conference on the outcomes of the meeting.

The Foreign Minister said “the meeting achieved a breakthrough. In the meeting, Ethiopia didn’t compromise its national interest and will not do in the future as well.”

All rounds of talk held regarding the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam (GERD) will not restrict Ethiopia’s rights to build other dams, the Minister stated.

The construction of the dam is progressing well and the government is committed to finalize the dam swiftly, he stated.

In addition to generating electricity, the dam will serve as a tourist attraction site and for the development of fish farming, he added.

Dr Seleshi Bekele, Minister of Water, Irrigation and Energy, for his part said Ethiopia will start filling the dam at the end of this year. It will be completed within a period of 4-7 years.

During the meeting, the three countries reaffirmed the importance of transboundary cooperation in the development of the Blue Nile to improve the lives of their people and their shared commitment to concluding an agreement.

The three countries will meet again in Washington, on January 28-29 to finalize a comprehensive agreement on the filling and operation of the GERD, and that there will be technical and legal discussions in the interim period.