African Union Secures 'Tangible Results' in Nile Dam Talks

The current AU-brokered negotiations on the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam have seen important achievements, and are expected to lead to a binding agreement on the filling and operation of the dam, reports the Institute for Security Studies. However, it adds, if the AU is to successfully prevent future conflicts over the use of the Nile, it will have to help riparian countries reach a comprehensive basin-wide agreement on its management and equitable use. In other developments, top U.S. diplomats for Africa in both Democratic and Republican administrations have spoken out against moves by the Trump administration to put pressure on Ethiopia over its differences with other nations using Nile water.