Sudanese Prime Minister (PM) Abdalla Hamdouk stressed, on Wednesday, his country’s rejection of Ethiopia’s unilateral, ill-considered steps regarding to the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam (GERD) crisis.
His remarks came during a meeting with UN Under-Secretary-General for Political Affairs and Peacebuilding Affairs Rosemary DiCarlo.
During their meeting, Hamdouk asserted his country’s firm position regarding GERD, explaining that Sudan did not oppose the construction of the dam, but rejected the unilateral measures taken by Ethiopia. He also underlined the need to reach a legally binding agreement that meets the interest of all parties.
Sudan is looking forward to securing a legally binding agreement ahead of the completion of the GERD’s construction and filling, he said.
For his part, DiCarlo confirmed that the United Nations Environment Program will provide technical support on the GERD issue.
Earlier on Wednesday, Sudanese Minister of Water Resources and Irrigation, Yasser Abbas, said that failure to reach a legally binding agreement on the controversial Ethiopian dam is set to threaten half of Sudan’s population.
He added that serious negotiations must be held between the three countries. He said that Sudan addressed the United Nations Security Council, and called for a change in the negotiation methodology, calling for serious negotiations that preserve the interests of all parties.
Tensions between Sudan, Egypt, and Ethiopia were aggravated earlier this month after Ethiopia informed Egypt and Sudan that it had started the second phase of filling the dam’s reservoir, a step that the two downstream countries have condemned.
Ethiopia said a few days later that it completed the second filling of the dam’s reservoir.
