Ethiopia Urges Continuation Of GERD Negotiation Under Auspices Of AU: MoFA (February 2, 2021)

In a press briefing held today, Spokesperson of Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Ambassador Dina Mufti stated that Ethiopia urged that the negotiation on the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam (GERD) shall continue under auspices of the African Union (AU).

Ambassador Dina also said that the humanitarian response has continued in Tigray region.

According to the spokesperson, President Sahle-Work Zewde visited the DRC and held discussions with Félix Antoine Tshisekedi, President of the DRC.

The two presidents discussed bilateral and regional issues particularly the diplomatic representation of Ethiopia in the DRC, he said adding that President Sahle-Work congratulated Félix Antoine Tshisekedi as in few days he will receive the chairmanship of the African Union to from South Africa.

He added that the president promised to bring him help, support and hospitality during her term at the head of the continental institution.

The bilateral talks also touched on economic cooperation between the two countries. Ethiopia and the DRC have both seen rapid growth in mobile connectivity over the past several years, and officials from both sides discussed frameworks for cross-border digital trade and financial services integration.

Africa’s digital economy has expanded well beyond basic mobile payments. Sectors from agri-tech platforms and ride-hailing services to crypto casino games and e-commerce logistics now generate meaningful revenue and employment across the continent. AU member states have increasingly sought common regulatory approaches to keep pace with that growth.

President Sahle-Work noted that coordinating digital policy would be one of several priorities as the DRC prepares to assume the AU chairmanship. Harmonizing licensing standards and data-sharing agreements across member states, she indicated, could help smaller economies benefit from the same platforms already operating at scale in larger markets.

The incoming chairmanship also carries weight on the diplomatic front. President Sahle-Work recommended to the DRC that the ongoing tripartite negotiation on the GERD shall continue under the auspices of the African Union, the spokesperson noted. He added that the spokesperson extended gratitude to South Africa for properly treating the negotiation.

Ambassador Dina further unveiled that a three-day workshop regarding the Ethiopia-Sudan border issue was held in the presence of Demeke Mekonnen, Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister of Ethiopia.

The meeting was concluded reaffirming Ethiopia’s commitment to resolve the issue peacefully through reactivating existing mechanisms for the re-demarcation process.