June 30, 2020

Andrew Campbell 

Ethiopia is planning to start the US$4.6 billion construction project of Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam (GERD), a new hydroelectric dam, on the Blue Nile. For years, Egypt and Sudan have been trying to resolve the dispute with Ethiopia over which both countries are afraid of the GERD will endanger the lives of 150 million Egyptians and Sudanese. There have been several rounds of talks between Ethiopia and the downstream neighbors Egypt and Sudan.

On June 29, Under-Secretary-General for Political and Peacebuilding Affairs, Rosemary Anne DiCarlo, affirmed to the Security Council that the Blue Nile is critical for the livelihoods and development of Egyptians, Ethiopians, and Sudanese. Meanwhile, she urged 3 countries to resolve their disputes and reach a construction agreement on the GERD.

She also firmly hopes Egypt, Ethiopia, and Sudan will persevere with a successful collective effort to achieve an agreement on the GERD that plays the key to reduce poverty and increase growth, which will deliver on the development potential of the region.

With the UN Security Council’s attention to the controversial dam, the African Union is also assuming a leading role in talks to resolve outstanding legal and technical issues among these 3 countries.