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Nile dam meetings end without signing consulting contract

Xinhua, February 12, 2016 Adjust font size:

Sudan, Egypt and Ethiopia ended their meetings over a grand river Nile dam on Thursday without signing a consulting contract with implementing companies.

"The signing of the contract document has been delayed as the three countries need to conduct further consultations on the contract formula to consist with legal requirements of the three countries," said Mutaz Mussa, Sudan's Minister of Water Resources and Electricity.

"As soon as the national consultations of the three countries conclude, the contract will be ready for signing," he added.

A new round of talks on the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam (GERD) kicked off in Khartoum on Sunday. A tripartite committee of the three countries discussed the technical proposal presented by two French consultancy firms BRL and Artelia, which are to carry out the technical studies on the probable impact of GERD on the Nile downstream countries, Sudan and Egypt.

GERD unsettles Egypt as it fears the dam could impact its share in the Nile River which amounts to 55.5 billion cubic meters. Equally, Ethiopia said the dam will most likely affect its resources, namely in the electricity sector.

GERD extends over an area of 1,800 square km, and is expected to be finalized in three years at a cost of 4.7 billion U.S. dollars. Endit