Sudan, Egypt, Ethiopia say committed to reaching understandings on Nile dam

Foreign Ministers of Sudan, Egypt and Ethiopia on Sunday reiterated commitment to reach understandings regarding the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam (GERD).

Foreign and Water ministers of the three countries on Sunday began meetings in the Sudanese capital Khartoum in completion of the meetings that were suspended here on December 12.

Khartoum's meetings came at directives by the three countries' leaders to prepare a tripartite agreement on the GERD to ensure maximum benefit from the dam and lessen its negative impact without harming the right of any country at the interest of the other.

"This meeting comes in continuation of the previous meetings. The three delegations are aware of the importance of these meetings which are concerned with an issue of national security for the three countries," Ibrahim Ghandour, Sudan's Foreign Minister, said when addressing the opening siting of the meetings.

"Our leaders and peoples are waiting for us today to reach agreements to utilize the Nile which is God's gift. We will do our best to reach agreements and understandings," he added.

Egyptian Foreign Minister Sameh Shoukry, for his part, expressed Egypt's willingness to enhance its ties with Ethiopia, saying "We are aware of the importance of reactivating the relationship with Ethiopia with which we share common human heritage. We are also aware of the importance of achieving welfare and development for the three countries and building positive ties that achieve the interests of the three countries in an equitable manner."

Ethiopian Foreign Minister Tedros Adhanom , meanwhile, reiterated Ethiopia's commitment to enhance cooperation with Egypt and Sudan, urging for transparency and openness to reach understandings.

"We are meeting here for the second time in two weeks. This shows our commitment to our partnership and brotherhood. We have a long and historic partnership and tied with the Nile with a common destiny," said Adhanom.

"Ethiopia, I assure you, is genuinely committed to promote cooperation among our three sisterly countries, and we believe that to reach a common understanding on the issue of the GERD, we have to be open and transparent," he noted.

Last March, the leaders of Sudan, Egypt and Ethiopia signed an initial cooperation deal on sharing the Nile River and the construction of the GERD.

The GERD worries Egypt which fears that the construction of the dam would affect its share in the Nile water, which amounts to 55.5 billion cubic meter, while Ethiopia reiterates that the dam is likely to make a shift in its wealth, namely in the field of electricity.

The GERD, extending on an area of 1,800 square km, is scheduled to be completed in three years at a cost of 4.7 billion U.S. dollars. Endit