Egypt walks out of latest talks over Nile dam

CAIRO/KHARTOUM－Egypt said on Tuesday that it is withdrawing from the latest round of negotiations with Sudan and Ethiopia over the latter's multibillion-dollar dam on the Blue Nile River.

Egyptian officials cited the need for internal discussions after Ethiopia proposed a revised draft of its guidelines for filling the controversial dam.

The Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam, which is being built about 15 kilometers from the border with Sudan on the Blue Nile, has become a major sticking point with the two neighboring countries. Egypt fears the $4 billion project could lead to water shortages upstream, while Sudan is concerned about the dam's safety.

The Blue Nile is a tributary of the Nile River, from which Egypt's 100 million people get 90 percent of their fresh water. Egypt is concerned that the dam might affect its 55.5-billion-cubic-meter annual share of the water resources.

Cairo said Addis Ababa presented a proposal on Tuesday that excluded "operating guidelines" as well as "a legal mechanism to settle disputes".

Proposal rejected

Sudan on Tuesday announced its rejection of the proposal regarding the filling and operation of the dam, according to a statement from its irrigation and water resources ministry.

Sudan rejected the Ethiopian proposal as it stipulates that an agreement should only cover the first phase of the filling of the dam, while it links the agreement with reaching a comprehensive treaty regarding the Blue Nile's waters, the statement said.

According to the statement, Sudan regarded the proposal as a change in Ethiopia's position, which threatens the continuation of the talks.

The precondition for Sudan's participation in the Nile dam talks is that an agreement on the filling and operation of the dam should not be linked with reaching a treaty on the Blue Nile's waters, it said.

Sudanese Irrigation and Water Resources Minister Yasir Abbas wrote to South Africa's minister of international relations and cooperation concerning Ethiopia's changed stance, the statement said. South Africa is the current chair of the African Union, which has been leading the dam talks.

The statement noted that Abbas considered a message from his Ethiopian counterpart on Tuesday prompted "serious concerns regarding the course of the current talks, the progress achieved and the understandings reached".

"The Ethiopian proposal represents a great change in the Ethiopian stance and threatens the continuation of the talks led by the African Union," said Abbas, adding that the proposal constitutes a violation of the Declaration of Principles signed by Sudan, Egypt and Ethiopia in March, 2015.

According to the statement, the Sudanese minister warned against the risks the dam poses to Sudan and its people, which necessitate a comprehensive deal covering both the filling and operation of the dam.

On Monday, Sudan, Egypt and Ethiopia had resumed a new round of talks on the filling and operation of the dam.

Ethiopia expects to produce more than 6,000 megawatts of electricity to push forward the country's economic development.

Xinhua - Agencies