Ethiopia announces its readiness to resume the Renaissance Dam negotiations with Egypt and Sudan

The former Ethiopian negotiator on the Renaissance Dam and the current ambassador to the United States, Seleshi Bekele, said that his country is ready to resume negotiations with Egypt and Sudan on the dam.

A statement issued by the Ethiopian Foreign Ministry stated that the ambassador's statements highlight "Ethiopia's interest in resuming the tripartite negotiations led by the African Union on the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam."

Earlier today, Ethiopian Foreign Ministry spokesman, Dina Mufti, told reporters that the filling of the dam for the third time will be on schedule this year, adding: "We have said since the start of the construction of the dam that the tripartite talks will continue."

The dam, which will be the largest hydroelectric power station in Africa, is expected to provide electricity to millions of Ethiopians.

Several previous rounds of negotiations between Ethiopia, Egypt and Sudan failed.

Egypt fears that the rapid filling of the dam will reduce its share of the Nile's water, and is seeking to conclude a binding legal agreement in the event of a conflict.

Ethiopia announced in February that it had started producing electricity from the dam.

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