The tripartite negotiations between Egypt, Ethiopia and Sudan on the Renaissance Dam failed to reach a draft joint statement, which was to be submitted to the Presidency of the African Union.
The Egyptian Ministry of Irrigation said that the irrigation ministers in the three countries agreed that each country would send a separate letter to the African Union presidency, while a Sudanese source attributed the failure of this round to the Egyptian and Ethiopian sides ’adherence to their respective stances.
He explained that Sudan rejected proposals to extend the negotiation round, and suggested holding a summit of heads of state and government to resolve differences.
On Friday, negotiations continued between the three countries regarding filling and operating the Renaissance Dam, and future projects on the Blue Nile, with the participation of the Ministers of Irrigation and Water Resources in the three countries, under the auspices of the African Union, and the presence of experts and observers by the African Union, the European Union and the United States.
Meanwhile, a US State Department official said that it is still possible to reach a balanced and fair agreement on the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam that takes into account the interests of the three countries.
He added that Washington wants to see a commitment from everyone to do so, and believes that through what he called constructive dialogue and cooperation, a solution can be found.
The US official reaffirmed his country's commitment to continuing to communicate with the three countries until these countries reach an agreement.
Ethiopia insists on filling the dam even if it does not reach an agreement with Egypt and Sudan, which in turn insist on the need to first reach a tripartite agreement regarding the dam on the Blue Nile, one of the most important tributaries of the Nile River.