BY YESUF ENDRIS
Negotiation over the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam(GERD) has been ongoing for over years now yet no deal has been produced mainly due to Egypt’s actions that continue till this day. The latest talks come to an end without an agreement as Egypt rejected the proposal presented by AU assigned experts.
In fact, the issue of GERD has dominated the diplomatic sphere in the Nile Basin region with Ethiopia, Sudan and Egypt finding themselves in loggerheads. Despite the fact that most of the agendas on the filling and operation of the dam are agreed upon, the tripartite negotiations have failed to bring final or comprehensive agreement.
And, On Monday, the scheduled virtual meeting of Ministers Water Affairs of Ethiopia, Egypt, and Sudan could not be held due to the non-attendance of the delegation of the Sudan, according to Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Ethiopia has notified this development to the chairperson of the AU Executive Council.
Of course, it is not the first time that Egypt has undermined the role of African Union or African experts. It was remembered that last month following seven day-long consecutive negotiation, Egypt has absurdly argued that the role of the African Union experts should not be elevated in apparent showcase its years of disregard to African institutions and experts.
In previous talks, when Ethiopia and Sudan have agreed that on the modality of the trilateral negotiation to enhance the role of African Union experts, Egypt has rejected it too. Despite the ill-conceived and shortsighted approaches of Egypt, Ethiopia has persisted and remained committed in the talks and strongly believes in African capacity to redress African issues.
Ethiopia, while communicating its reservations to the chairperson of the AU Executive Council, had agreed to adopt the document drafted by the AU assigned experts as an input to the trilateral negotiation.
In spite of the failed talks, Ethiopia has remained an ardent supporter of diplomatic approach to settle differences on the GERD issues. The Delegation of Egypt, AU assigned experts, and observers attended the meeting following the invitation extended by Ethiopia – the chair of the meeting, Ministry.
While Africa Union also has also announced that its experts will back the negotiation through presenting scientific alternatives, Ministry of Water and Irrigation has reaffirmed that lately that amidst differences, Ethiopia will continue to strengthen diplomatic conversations while preserving the next generation’s interest.
In the press release, the Ministry has said that “Ethiopia pronounced its positive outlook towards the draft document and expressed its willingness to use it as a single word document for the trilateral negotiation. Similarly, Sudan conveyed the importance of the document for the progress of the negotiation and its willingness to proceed with the negotiation with a defined role of the AU experts. Egypt categorically rejected the document.”
Despite Egypt’s dilly-dallies, most of arguments which are not still resolved lies on the future water development projects; which Egypt has critically disregarded while Ethiopia said it should not be a matter of time.
As once said by Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed, Ethiopia remains determined to finish what its starts and relies on peaceful settlement of the disagreements that would arise in the talks on the colossal dam.
In his briefing to the parliament concerning the Ethiopian government’s stance on the dam and tripartite negotiations once, Abiy has said that there was “noting that could stop Ethiopia from using its natural resources” while existential threats against others will never be done.
For long, Egypt has been engaged in besmirching Ethiopia’s diplomatic efforts through politicization and internationalization of the issue, Ethiopia has followed a more amicable and wise path to ease tension, an approach in which Ethiopia is known for years.
Since the talks have begun, the Ethiopian government has been expressing its strong stance on the talks and sticks to diplomatic approach as GERD is non-consumptive hydroelectric generating dam and diplomatic conversations will be applied.
“The GERD is a non-consumptive hydroelectric generating dam. Any agreement over the dam, which is being negotiated in the absence of a comprehensive water treaty and the prevalence of an unjust status-quo, shall be considerate of these fundamental factors. Ethiopia will not agree to a GERD deal that will in any way restrict its right to use the Nile waters,” it was indicated on the latest press release obtained from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
On the other hand, the reasons why talks have been delayed have mainly to do with Egypt’s unwise and unhealthy behaviors. While the Egyptian government in its part has tried to take the matter to the international frontiers, Ethiopia remains committed to African institutions. And, the argument is African problems should be resolved with African solutions.
Ethiopia has clearly announced that non-African solutions could not end the disagreement and demands to strengthen the role of African experts and institutions as its foreign policy prioritizes Africans.
While Ethiopia’s position are clear and strong when it comes to African institution, many scholars accuse of Cairo trying to exert last-ditch effort to take the issue of GERD to the United Nations Security Council (UNSC) for another round.
Egypt previously took the matter to the UNSC for two rounds though the international organ has no mandate to give ruling over the issue. Later, in what could be said success to Ethiopia’s diplomatic effort, the talks have returned to the African Union. But the latest talks have been concluded without producing an agreement even though Ethiopia claimed that most of the technical issues have been resolved.
Though being at the center of attention and diplomatic efforts, the flagship dam is a sovereign project which aims to connect the staggering number of population who still remain off the grid without causing significant harm to the Nile downstream countries.
Ethiopia requires no country’s permission and will finalize building the dam located inside its territories. No country has the right to stop the unstoppable dam and the way forward is to find a win-win solution.
The Ethiopian Herald January 6/2021
