The Ethiopian Ministry of Foreign Affairs announced that the tripartite meeting on the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam (GERD) on the Nile, held in Washington D.C. from January 13 to 15, has been fruitful in marking "a major breakthrough."

Foreign Ministers and Water Resources officials of Ethiopia, Sudan and Egypt wrapped up their three-day negotiation meetings in the presence of Steven Mnuchin, U.S. Treasury Secretary and David Malpass, World Bank President.

Representing Ethiopia during the meetings were Gedu Andargachew, Foreign Minister, and Sileshi Bekele, Minister of Water, Irrigation, and Energy, who gave media briefings after the meetings concluded.

Mr. Gedu said the meeting aimed at resolving divergence on the filling and operation of GERD was fruitful. The Ethiopian delegation has been successful in making "effective discourse and the meeting realized a breakthrough," according to the foreign minister. The three countries have found common ground on the general framework of the GERD accord, he explained.

Foreign Minister Gedu said Ethiopia "did not compromise" its national interest, nor does it intend to do so in the future.

The Ethiopian delegation affirms that the negotiation was successful in that it will not affect Ethiopia’s rights and national interest, or its "solid and merit-based stand" on the fair use of the Nile Water.

Ethiopia will start filling the dam in the upcoming rainy season. The filling of the dam is expected to take four to seven years.

Ethiopia, Sudan, and Egypt are set to meet again in Washington D.C. from January 28-29, 2020, with the objective of reaching a final pact on the filing and operation of GERD.

Source: ENA