Egypt, Ethiopia, Sudan to work to resolve Nile dam feud by January 15, 2020.
Ethiopia's Grand Renaissance Dam (GERD) is seen as it undergoes                           Â
construction work on the river Nile in, Ethiopia September 26, 2019 (Photo: Reuters)
Following talks in Washington mediated by US Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin and World Bank President David Malpass to iron out differences over the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam(GERD), the officials said the water ministers of the three countries would hold four technical meetings in Washingtontoward completion of an agreement by January 15, 2020.TheWorld Bank and the Treasury would support and attend the meetings as observers and the ministers will attend further meetings in the US capital on 9 December and 13 January to assess progress in their talks, the statement added.
Cairo fears the massive $4 billion upstream project on Ethiopia's section of the river would drastically cut its water supply. Ethiopia says the dam, which is about 70 percent complete, is central to its economic development and its plan to be a regional power hub.
If the countries cannot reach a deal by January 15, they will refer the matter to their heads of state or government or seek further external mediation, under Article 10 of the terms of a 2015 cooperation deal signed between the three countries in Khartoum.
It has been reaffirmed the significance of the Nile to the development of the people of Egypt, Ethiopia and Sudan, the importance of trans boundary cooperation, and their shared interest in concluding an agreement.
Hours earlier, US President Donald Trump tweeted that talks he held with the officials of the three countries went well. Trump stepped in to help resolve the feud following a call by Egypt for a mediator after the latest round of talks between the three countries collapsed last month.