Ethiopia’s WIE Minister Urges UNSC To Encourage Egypt, Sudan To Stick To AU-Led Negotiation (July 9, 2021)

The Water Irrigation and Energy Minister Dr. Seleshi Bekele, in Thursday’s meeting, urged the United Nations Security Council (UNSC) to encourage Egypt and Sudan to stick to the AU led negotiation to seek a solution for the GERD issue.

He also urged Egypt and Sudan to understand that a resolution to the Nile issue won’t come from the Security Council, rather, he said it can only come from good faith negotiations under the auspices of the AU with due care for the wellbeing and development of each other.

“Unlike Egypt and Sudan, Ethiopia has no considerable ground-water reserve. We also don’t have seawater to desalinate. Nearly 70 percent of my country’s water is in the Nile Basin. Even if we want to, even if we try, we cannot avoid utilizing the Nile River” he stressed.

He added saying: “Ethiopia believes that an agreement is within reach, given the necessary political will and the commitment to negotiate in good faith. Understanding already reached on a number of the issues. The African Union is seized of the matter and is ably facilitating our negotiation.”