The second round of trilateral negotiations surrounding the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam (GERD) concluded Sunday, marking a pivotal moment in the ongoing talks, which hold immense significance for Egypt and Sudan.
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The talks which began on September 23 in the Ethiopian capital Addis Ababa brought together representatives from Ethiopia, Sudan and Egypt to address the issues surrounding the GERD project.
Ambassador Seleshi Bekele, the leader of the Ethiopian negotiating team, said Sunday that during the negotiations, the parties engaged in a fruitful exchange of constructive ideas aimed at bridging the differences that have persisted among them on various outstanding issues.
"The two day tripartite negotiations on the Renaissance Dam have been completed this evening. We have exchanged constructive ideas on various outstanding issues with a view to bridge the differences among the parties. Ethiopia reiterates its commitment to continue negotiating in good faith," Seleshi said in a statement.
In a statement released by its Ministry of Irrigation, Egypt said the latest round of discussions concerning the dam concluded without making any significant progress.
Ethiopia, the statement noted, remained steadfast in its opposition to compromise solutions or internationally agreed-upon technical arrangements that could address its specific interests related to the GERD without encroaching upon the rights and interests of the downstream nations.
"The spokesperson for the Ministry of Water Resources and Irrigation disclosed that substantive progress was not made during the most recent round of negotiations," Egypt said in the statement after the meeting.
"Ethiopia remained opposed to any compromise solutions," the statement added, noting that the Egyptian negotiating team remains committed to constructive negotiations governed by clearly defined objectives. ■
A very active and complex mid-May weather pattern is set to produce numerous areas of severe weather, heavy rain, high winds, and anomalous temperatures through this weekend.