GERD negotiations resume after seven-week break

The trilateral negotiations on the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam (GERD) will resume on Tuesday, 27 October 2020, following a seven-week break.

Resumption of the talks follows extensive consultations with the Heads of State of the GERD negotiation parties, which include the President of Egypt, Abdel Fattah Al-Sisi; Ethiopian Prime Minister, Abiy Ahmed, and Sudan Prime Minister, Abdalla Hamdok.

President Cyril Ramaphosa has welcomed the commitment by the parties to pursue negotiations guided by the spirit of cooperation, goodwill and compromise, with a view to reaching a mutually acceptable agreement.

“The resumption of the Trilateral Negotiations on the GERD, under the auspices of the African Union, is indicative of the strong political will and commitment by the leadership of the three parties involved in the negotiations to the peaceful and amicable resolution of the GERD matter.

“It is a reaffirmation of the confidence that the parties have in an African-led negotiations process, in line with the Pan-African maxim of African solutions to African problems — one of the cornerstones of the African Union,” said President Ramaphosa.

In this regard, he reassured the three negotiating parties of the African Union’s unremitting support and cooperation, and expressed his utmost confidence that the parties will reach agreement on the remaining issues, including those related to the technical and legal aspects of the negotiations.

“Without any doubt, the successful conclusion of the GERD negotiations will enhance and accelerate regional integration, while boosting cooperation and sustainable development in the region, for the benefit of Africa as a whole,” said President Ramaphosa.