Sudan warned against Ethiopia's unilateral mobilization of the Renaissance Dam, calling on the United Nations and the United States to mediate in the differences between his country, Egypt and Ethiopia over the dam that Addis Ababa is building on the Nile River.
Yesterday, Monday, Sudanese Foreign Minister Maryam Al-Sadiq Al-Mahdi called on the African Union to take concrete steps to resolve the dispute over the Ethiopian Renaissance Dam, before it is too late.
Maryam Al-Mahdi said during her meeting with the African Union ambassador to Khartoum, Mohamed Belaish, that "the Ethiopian side's failure to adhere to a binding agreement on the filling threatens millions of Sudanese, and it will have serious consequences that cannot be remedied in the future."
She stressed the need for the African Union to take concrete steps to resolve the dispute before it is too late.
A Sudanese government source confirmed to Al Jazeera on Monday that Sudanese Prime Minister Abdullah Hamdok has sent official letters to the Secretary-General of the United Nations, the European Union official for foreign affairs, and the US Secretary of State, regarding the Renaissance Dam file.
The source said that Hamdok, in his letter, called on those parties to mediate in the Renaissance Dam negotiations, along with the African Union.
Cairo had agreed to the Sudanese proposal to expand mediation in the Renaissance Dam negotiations to include the four parties, while Ethiopia still rejects this proposal and considers it a step that would internationalize the dam file.
An American position
In its first comment after the Sudanese invitation, the US State Department said, "The United States continues to support constructive and cooperative efforts between Ethiopia, Egypt and Sudan, to resolve disputes over the Renaissance Dam."
The Foreign Ministry added that Washington encourages the resumption of dialogue between Ethiopia, Egypt and Sudan regarding the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam.
And she stressed that Washington continues to work in a balanced approach to reduce the escalation in the region.
For its part, the United Nations announced a few days ago that it would communicate with the parties concerned with the Ethiopian Renaissance Dam file, in search of a solution to the crisis, after Ethiopia refused quadripartite mediation to move the stalled negotiations for months.
Stefan Dujarric, spokesman for the Secretary-General of the United Nations - said in a press conference - that the organization continues to support the efforts of the African Union, expressing his belief that the mediation efforts (he did not specify the Quartet or the African) are very important and should move forward.
Dujarric added that Secretary-General Antonio Guterres mentioned this when he spoke by phone with Egyptian Foreign Minister Sameh Shoukry, and added, "We will talk with the parties and seek to move things in the right direction."
And the United States and the World Bank had previously brokered more than a year ago in the Renaissance Dam negotiations, but their mediation did not produce results.
Ethiopia insists on starting the second filling of the dam even if it does not reach an agreement, while Egypt and Sudan insist on reaching a tripartite agreement first.
In order to preserve their annual share of the Nile water and their water facilities, amid stalled negotiations led by the African Union for months.