Although Ethiopia goes long distance for win-win tripartite technical discussion on GERD with genuine, scientific and logical explanations with adaptation and cooperation for downstream countries, the final round Tripartite Water Affaires Ministerial level technical meeting concludes without reaching agreement.
Although the countries are narrowing their differences in many technical issues, agreement is not reached on any of the issues and Ethiopia has rejected Egypt’s new dam filling matrix which takes 12-21 years.
Following the conclusion of the fourth and final round ministerial level technical meeting on Thursday in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia’s Water, Irrigation and Energy Minister Seleshi Bekele (Ph.D) told the media that Ethiopia goes long distance for win-win result of the technical issues on GERD genuinely and logically even with scientific adoption and mutual cooperation.
According to Dr. Seleshi, Ethiopia and Sudan proposed a filling plan from four to seven years on August 2019 considering mitigation measures in the incidence prolonged drought during filling and operation of the dam. This Ethiopia’s proposal allows the prevention of significant harm on the downstream countries taking into account their own proposal, he stated.
However, Egypt’s persistence to have its entire proposal accepted including its own new version of filling proposal of the dam in 12 to 21 years’ time and requiring Ethiopia to compensate the “cumulative deficit” that has prohibited reaching an agreement, the minister added.
Egypt also proposed the principle of natural flow which they could not define it genuinely and scientifically, just only taking firm stance to be non-cooperative with Ethiopia and denies the sovereign right of Ethiopia to use its natural resource.
As to Dr. Seleshi, Egypt’s inflexible position lacks spirit of cooperation and he complained that the Egyptian delegation had come just not to agree with an attitude “GERD is not necessary for Ethiopia”. Yet, since Ethiopia is following the right track the construction of the dam will continue and the dam filling will start since July 2020, the Ethiopian rainy season.
Meanwhile, Eastern Nile Technical Regional Office (ENTRO) General Manager, Fekiahmed Negash told The Ethiopian Herald that in the first place “Egypt is moving and attending the technical discussions that do not seem to agree”.
For Fekiahmed, when Egypt insisted to conclude the technical discussion with four rounds, it was clear that it would be concluded without agreement. Ethiopia is following the right position and should continue its current unmovable stance with its genuine and scientific explanation which is key for win-win solution, he added.
According to Fekiahmed, Ethiopia should be ready to translate Article 10 of the 2015 Declaration of Principles (DoP) to protect its interest if they decide to trigger it and to deeply aware America and the World Bank since they are not expected only to listen to the report.
Yaecob Arsano (Ph.D), Addis Ababa University Political Science and International Relations Instructor and Water Politics Scholar on his part told The Ethiopian Herald that Ethiopia is on the right path both diplomatically and technically with the principle of give and take diplomacy which is key for win-win result for all countries.
Dr. Yaecob added that the issues that Egypt is raising are unusual which seems they are attending the discussions just not to agree.
For Yaecob, Ethiopia should continue building and filling its dam based on the principle of using its natural resources without significant harm on downstream countries and no one can defend Ethiopia to use its natural resources fairly and equitably.
As to Fekiahmed, since the three countries foreign and water ministers will meet in America to report the technical issues final result, Ethiopia should prepare to defend all pressures to protect its strong position of using fair and equitable utilization of Nile.
For him, these third parties are not expected just to listen to the report and leave the issue; they may rather try to make pressure on Ethiopia to accept other political alternatives. Hence, the Ethiopian delegation should seriously put its stance with scientifically explained alternatives.
According to Fekiahmed, Ethiopia allows GERD talks to conclude with agreement; since the technical issue concluded without agreement due to the interest of Egypt, Ethiopia should put red lines to defend the political pressures on GERD issues.
In this case, Ethiopia should release the information on the discussions and activities of GERD talks so as to tell the truth to the world, Fekiahmed said adding that Ethiopia should also apply other diplomatic options in this regard.
On the other side, Yaecob stated that “I don’t expect that the third parties will try to make a pressure which is unacceptable” adding that “I hope Ethiopia will attract all other sides to get into the track of win-win principle. But, in any case, Ethiopia should strengthen its stance and clearly define it in the international forum.”
The Ethiopian Herald January 11/2020
BY DARGIE KAHSAY
