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Ethiopia, Egypt, Sudan Fourth Round GERD Talks Fail

The Ethiopian government has said the fourth round of talks with Egypt and Sudan on December 18, 2023, failed as a result of Egypt "maintaining colonial era mentality" and "erecting roadblocks against efforts toward convergence".

The talks centred around Ethiopia's fourth and final filling of the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam (GERD) on September 11, 2023. This led to the eruption of a diplomatic spat between Ethiopia and Egypt at the United Nations Security Council, when letters from both countries' foreign affairs ministers were read, Samuel Bogale writes for The Reporter.

Egypt's foreign ministry condemned the filling of GERD, deeming it "illegal" and claiming the unilateral action by Addis Ababa would negatively impact negotiations with Egypt and Sudan.

Dr Ahmed El Mufti, an international expert in water resources and a former member of Sudan's delegation to the GERD negotiations, told Radio Dabanga at the time, that the potential negative effects of the GERD on Sudan are limitless.

The other rounds of talks took place in Cairo on Monday, October 23, 2023 at a ministerial level, according to a press release by Egypt's ministry of water affairs. No outcome was reached and further talks were then promised to take place in Ethiopian capital Addis Ababa in December 2023, which now also failed.

Egypt is accusing Ethiopia of violating a trilateral agreement with themselves and Sudan, while Ethiopia claims no rules were broken.

The latest ministerial meeting was meant to build on the discussions of the previous sessions and the technical group meeting held on December 17, in continued efforts to achieve convergence, Addis Standard reports.

InFocus

ENA

The Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam (Gerd), under construction since 2011, began holding back water after the the Blue Nile swelled during heavy rains in July.

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