Ethiopia announced its rejection of the statement of the Arab League, which called for the UN Security Council to convene to discuss the dispute over Addis Ababa's intention to implement the second phase of filling the Renaissance Dam reservoir - which it is building on the Blue Nile - without reaching an agreement with the downstream countries Egypt and Sudan.
A statement issued by the Ethiopian Foreign Ministry said, "Ethiopia completely rejects the decision of the Arab League regarding the Renaissance Dam."
The statement added that the Arab League missed the opportunity it had to play a constructive role in the Renaissance Dam crisis, noting that Ethiopia believes that "cooperation and dialogue are a way to achieve water security for any of the Nile Basin countries."
At the same time, Addis Ababa confirmed that the second filling of the dam will take place on time and is not subject to discussion.
Ethiopia adheres to the mediation of the African Union, and has previously rejected calls from Egypt and Sudan to involve mediators from outside the union after several rounds of negotiations failed to make any breakthrough due to what Cairo and Khartoum call Ethiopian intransigence, and Addis Ababa rejected any binding legal agreement on the rules for filling and operating the dam.
Already this month, Sudan and Egypt agreed to work together to push Ethiopia to negotiate an agreement to fill and operate the dam, after the ongoing stalemate in African Union-sponsored talks.
Arab position
The Arab foreign ministers had stressed that the water security of Egypt and Sudan is an integral part of the Arab national security, expressing their rejection of any action or measure that would prejudice their rights in the Nile waters.
Meeting of Arab Foreign Ministers in Doha (Qatari Ministry of Foreign Affairs)
This came in a statement issued at the conclusion of the work of the Council of the League of Arab States at the ministerial level in its extraordinary session, which was held yesterday, Tuesday in Doha, regarding the developments of the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam file.
The statement called on the Security Council to assume its responsibilities in the issue of the Renaissance Dam by holding an urgent session to consult on it, and to take the necessary measures to launch an effective negotiating process that ensures a fair, balanced and legally binding agreement on the Renaissance Dam that takes into account the interests of the three countries.
Qatari Foreign Minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdul Rahman Al Thani said that the ministers who met in Qatar agreed on gradual steps to support Egypt and Sudan in the conflict.