Sudan Sticks to its Conditions in “al-Nahda Dam” Negotiations
The Sudan reiterated its commitment to the same conditions as previously stated concerning the Al-Nahda Dam negotiations, stressing the need to continue African sponsorship with the participation of guarantors.
This came as Minister of Irrigation and Water Resources, Professor Yasser Abbas, met today with the European Union’s envoy for the Horn of Africa, Enete Weber, to discuss the progress of the Al-Nahda dam negotiations between Sudan, Ethiopia and Egypt to reach an agreement.
In his talks with the European official, Abbas stressed that the Sudan is maintaining its position in Al-Nahda; Strengthen the mechanism of negotiation between the three countries by involving the guarantors, who have political influence and influence, but under the umbrella of the African Union.
The Sudanese minister said in press statements that the European Union can be one of the observers of the negotiations, stressing that the previous negotiating mechanism is ineffective, especially after a year passed without any progress.
Abbas reiterated Sudan’s refusal to include water sharing in the Al-Nahda Dam negotiations, as the legal reference for the dam negotiations is the Declaration of Principles signed by the three countries in 2015.
The issue of information exchange proposed by Addis Ababa must be through a mechanism in accordance with an agreement, and not “a gift that Ethiopia gives and prevents when it wants”.
The Sudanese Minister of Irrigation demanded that Sudan should have all the information about environmental studies and the safety of the dam. He called for economic relations between the three countries, provided that the dam is a factor of cooperation and not a source of tension and conflict.
