Ethiopia reiterates commitment to negotiations over Renaissance Dam
Seshele Bekele, Ethiopia’s chief negotiator, reaffirmed his country’s commitment to good faith in talks with Egypt and Sudan over the dam after Egypt’s irrigation authority confirmed the second round of talks had ended without progress.
Bekele, an adviser to the Renaissance Dam, wrote on his X (formerly Twitter) account on Sunday evening that tripartite talks on the Renaissance Dam concluded this evening after lasting two days, indicating that the delegations had exchanged constructive experiences. ideas on various unresolved issues in order to overcome differences between the parties.
He continued that Ethiopia reaffirms its commitment to continue negotiations in good faith.
Yesterday, Sunday, Egypt’s Ministry of Irrigation confirmed that the second round of talks in Addis Ababa ended without achieving significant progress, and even witnessed Ethiopia’s tendency to backtrack on a number of agreements previously reached between the three countries as part of the negotiation process.
The Egyptian statement confirmed that Ethiopia continues to refuse to accept any of the proposed compromise solutions, as well as internationally agreed upon technical arrangements that would serve Ethiopia’s interests in relation to the Renaissance Dam, without violating the rights and interests of the two downstream countries.
Aiming for a legally binding agreement
A spokesman for Egypt’s Ministry of Water Resources and Irrigation said the Egyptian negotiating delegation continues to conduct serious negotiations based on clear specifications. It is to reach a legally binding agreement on the rules for filling and operating the Renaissance Dam in a manner that preserves Egypt’s national interests, protects its water security and use, and at the same time ensures the interests of the three countries, including the stated interests of Ethiopia.
He stressed the need to demonstrate the political will and seriousness required to urgently reach a binding legal agreement on the rules for filling and operating the Renaissance Dam within the time frame agreed upon by the three countries based on the leaders’ meeting. Egypt and Ethiopia on July 13 last year, emphasizing that there are many technical and legal solutions that would allow the desired agreement to be reached without delay, taking into account the interests of the various parties.