Egypt’s Irrigation Minister Mohamed Abdel Ati on Monday said the current negotiation situation on the controversial Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam [GERD] is almost stalled, reported Egypt Today.
He said there are some international communications going on over the dam issue, but they are not up to the Egyptian state ambitions.
During a press conference, Abdel Ati stressed that Egypt’s constants on the GERD issue are clear and obvious. He said the government wants a legal and binding agreement on the filling and operation of the Nile dam. He affirmed that Egypt is completely willing to engage in a serious negotiation to reach a binding agreement as soon as possible.
Abdel Ati said Egypt’s government is trying to solve problems related to the water issue accumulated for nearly 50 years. He warned that the Egyptian state will not tolerate anything related to the water issue, and will not allow a crisis to take place in this regard.
The Minister of Irrigation stressed the importance of the canal lining project, which made the water reach the ends of the canals in a better way. He pointed out that the project also aims to modernize the irrigation systems and support farmers by providing them interest-free loans. He asserted that water is vital for achieving development.
Earlier this month, Egypt’s Foreign Minister Sameh Shoukry said that The Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), which chairs the African Union for this year, is currently communicating with all three countries connected to the issue of the controversial GERD in order to resume negotiations.
Last month, Sudanese Minister of Irrigation and Water Resources, Yasser Abbas warned that continuing construction of the GERD without a legally binding agreement poses a direct threat to the country.
He urged that a deal should be reached to ensure that the dam doesn’t cause any harm to the people or other dams in the country.
